Jelly Jell-O

Hello again!!

Before this we already had posted on calcifer or mainly known among Malaysian as ‘Siakap’ which is in the top list of most familiar dishes in Malaysia.So we already post about fish and prawn.So let’s move to a new type of aquatic living.For this post,we want to touch about an aquatic living which is quite familiar to us. We decided to talk about jellyfish.

Jellyfish or also called jellies  are softbodied, free-swimming aquatic animals with a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell and trailing tentacles.

The bell can pulsate to acquire propulsion and locomotion.  The tentacles may be utilized to capture prey or defend against predators by emitting toxins in a painful sting.

Jellyfish species are classified in the subphylum Medusozoa which makes up a major part of the phylum Cnidaria, although not all Medusozoa species are considered to be jellyfish.

Jellyfish are found in every ocean, from the surface to the deep sea. Scyphozoans (the "true jellyfish") are exclusively marine, but some hydrozoans live in freshwater. Large, often colorful, jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide.

Jellyfish have roamed the seas for at least 500 million years, and possibly 700 million years                      or more, making them the oldest multi-organ animal.

Most people think that all gelatinous,swimming marine animal encountered at the sea are "jellyfish" and  moreover that they all sting. 

But not all jellyfish are stinging; many are harmless to humans, but it is always best to avoid touching them.

Here is a mini-guide to the main jellyfish species and the most recognizable gelatinous plankton species prevalent in our seas.

1)

Aequorea forskalea

Not big (max 10 cm) and harmless because its cnidocysts are not dangerous for humans

2)

 

Pelagia noctiluca
This is the worst stinger of the whole Mediterranean, in terms of number of stung people. The stings can be very painful and can leave scars on the skin. The effects can persist even for a relatively long time. Most jellyfish stings in the western Mediterranean are from this species. 

3)

Chrysaora hysoscella
Its stinging properties resemble those of Pelagia, but it is a less severe stinger. 

TIME FOR FUN FACT!!!!!!!

Jellyfish are surprisingly good at shutting down nuclear reactors

In the past decade, jellyfish blooms have been responsible for shutting down several nuclear reactors, which often rely on ocean water intakes. The jellyfish swarms can clog the intake pipes, forcing facilities to stop operating temporarily.