Trivia question for Sep-24-2011

Olivia picked this invertebrate because of its looks, not because she thought they would be fun to play with.  These guys are equipped with powerful stinging cells on its bell and tentacles that shoot out microscopic ‘harpoons’ to stun or kill the prey.

If you see one of these washed up on shore, you should not touch it because even after they have died, the tentacles can sting.  Four long tentacles, or oral arms, hang under the centre of the bell, where the mouth of the jellyfish is located. In most cases, 24 thinner extensile tentacles hang from the bell’s rim. They are found in all temperate and tropical seas around the world. They feed on small planktonic animals, such as arrow-worms, comb jellies, and young polychaetes. The prey is passed to their mouths by the marginal tentacles and mouth arms.

So here are Olivia’s questions:  Tell us what this jellyfish is called and how it got its name?  Also, there is a certain fish that while young, is immune to this jellyfish’s sting.  Tell us what that fish is?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations goes out to Emma Johnson from Reno NV for being the first to identify our jellyfish.  The jellyfish we featured is the Compass Jellyfish.  Chrysaora hysoscella, also known as the compass jellyfish, is a very common species of jellyfish that lives in coastal waters near the United Kingdom and Turkey. It has a diameter of up to 30 cm. Its 24 tentacles are arranged in eight groups of three. It is usually colored yellowish white, with some brown.

The jellyfish get their name from the V-shaped markings and dark circle on their bells, which resemble an old-fashioned sea compass rose.  Certain fish, such as the young of haddock, seem to be immune to the stinging of the compass jellyfish’s tentacles and often shelter under its bell when danger threatens.  Here is more on these prevalent jellyfish: Compass Jellyfish

Thanks for playing along 😉