|Scientific name: Cnidaria Scyphozoa Aurelia|
|Location: Along both coasts of North America|
|Habitat: Tropical to sub-polar latitudes|
|Status: Not threatened|
|Diet: Fish, marine invertebrates, zooplankton|
|Location in the zoo: James R. Record Aquarium|
Range from 2 to 40 centimeters; some can reach up to 2 meters in diameter. Largely water (94% to 96%) with thick jelly layers. Radially symmetric.
Jelly fish begin as polyps with tentacles and look like an anemone. As adults they have a body-form called a medusa. It is a bell-shape with trailing tentacles. The jellyfish swims by contracting and relaxing muscles around the edge of the bell.
|Special anatomical, physiological or
The radial symmetry in the jellyfish allows the ability to sense both food and possible danger on all sides. This is beneficial because the jellyfish is not a fast swimmer. The tentacles of the jellyfish bear cnidocytes or stinging cells. These are used for defense and also to capture food.
|Comments about the Jellyfish of the Fort
Upside-down Jellyfish at the Fort Worth Zoo
The jellyfish is very graceful as it pushes itself through the water. The Monterrey Bay Aquarium has a very large display of jellyfish with a blue background. This gives the jellyfish the appearance of glowing in the dark.
Moon Jelly at the Fort Worth Zoo.
|Source Materials and Related Links:
|Page author: Pam O'Toole