AURELIA AURITA

Description:

The moon jellyfish has radial symmetry of the body. It is 5-40 cm in diameter, easily recognised by its four violet gonad rings. The umbrella is flat, flexible and transparent. Marginal tentacles are small and located near the bell edge, usually several hundred are present. The four elongated oral arms are located around the mouth. They are held horizontally in younger specimens and vertically in the older ones when the length exceeds the bell radius.

Behaviour:

The behaviour of the moon jellyfish is mostly affected by its food supply. A. aurita swims by pulsating, mainly to maintain its position in the water rather than move. It keeps its bell towards the surface to maintain the largest area available for the tentacles to catch prey.

Habitat:

The moon jellyfish is generally an inshore species, living within coastal waters, estuaries and bays.

Distribution:

A. aurita is found within the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, including the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Food:

The moon jellyfish feeds mainly on a wide range of plankton, although it also ingests small fish and fish eggs.