Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita)

Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita)Shelby Arbacheski

Within the phylum CnidariaJelly FishCnidaria contains stinging animals which use nematocysts to capture pettyAround 10,000 species in Cnidaria, nearly all living in marine watersLacks basic organs such as heart, brain, kidneys, etc.Posses digestive sack (stomach) and stinging cells called nematocystsCommonly known as Moon Jellies, or Saucer Jellies

Size range between 5cm-40cm in diameter (2in-16in)Usually have large translucent bells, small, short tentacles, 4 gonads, and slow rhythmic pulsing Found worldwideDrift in ocean currents; they can travel far; therefore offspring are far reaching

Moon JellyfishPredators include sea turtles, fish, shore birds, and other jelly speciesAdults may live over a year, polyps can live up to 25 yearsTaxonomyKingdom- AnimaliaSubkingdom- RadiataPhylum- CnidariaSubphylum- MedusozoaClass- ScyphozoaSubclass- DiscomedusaeOrder- SemaeostomeaeFamily- UlmaridaeSubfamily- AureliinaeGenus- AureliaSpecies- Aurelia aurita

Swim by pulsations of the bell-shaped upper part of the animalSwimming mainly functions to keep the Moon Jelly near the surface of the water rather than to make progress in the waterThe Moon Jelly swims horizontally, keeping the bell near the surface at all times, which allows tentacles to be spread over the largest possible area, to better catch foodSwimmingMoon Jellies are found near the coast in mostly warm watersCan withstand temperatures as low as -6C and as high as 31 C (21F to 87F)Occur in huge numbersOptimum temperature:9C to 19C (48F to 66F)Known to live in brackish water with as low of a salt content as 0.60%Biomes- reef, tropical coastal, freshwater lake

Moon Jellies are carnivorousFeed on zooplanktonPrimary food includes mollusks, crustaceans, tunicate larvae, copepods, rotifers, nematodes, young polychaetes, protozoans, diatoms and eggs. (small plankton organisms)Also observed eating small hydromedusae and ctenophores

These foods collect on the surface of the animal, where they become entangled in mucusFood items are then passed to the marginsThey are moved along 8 separate canals, which are unique to the Moon JellyThese canals branch off and run into the stomachHow Moon Jellies EatSexual maturity in the Aurelia aurita commonly occurs in the spring and summerTheir eggs develop in gonads located in pockets formed by the frills of the oral armsTheir gonads are commonly the most recognizable part of the animal, because of their deep and conspicuous colorationTheir gonads lie near the bottom of the stomach

Two main stages of life cycle:-polyp (asexual reproduction)-medusae (sexual reproduction)A male Moon Jelly releases sperm and the female takes it internally for fertilizationThe fertilized eggs go through development in the gonads until they are ready to be releasedWhen released, the larvae will spend a short period of time free swimmingThe larvae will settle in one spot as a polypThe polyp will reproduce asexually by creating clones of itself which will bud off the polyp and release them into the water columnThese polyps will eventually grow into a Moon Jelly and restart the cycleAlternation of Generation

http://tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouseid=3373

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=231

http://advancedaquarist.com/2012/8/inverts

http://www.bluewatervisions.com/BAH-moon_jelly.jpg

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/specialexhibit/images/1024x768moom.jpg

http://www.mysticaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/species-of-the-month/664-moonjelly

Sources