jellies

egg yolk jelly

Scientific name: Phacellophora camtschatica

Family: Ulmaridae

Phylum: Cnidaria

Typical size: 60 centimeters in diameter with tentacles up to 7 meters long

Depth range: 0 to 300 meters

Description: Relatively large jellyfish species that have a yellow center, resembling a broken egg yolk, surrounded by white or translucent tissue.

Habitat and behavior: They live in temperate waters in the pelagic zone, sometimes floating to the surface and moving wherever the current takes them. They feed by collecting plankton with its tentacles, and bringing them into its mouth for digestion. The egg yolk jellyfish’s sting is mild to humans. Its medusa sometimes host tiny copepods.

lion’s mane jelly

Scientific Name: Cyanea capillata

Family: Cyaneidae

Phylum: Cnidaria

Typical size: 5 to 38 centimeter medusa diameter, up to 5 meter long tentacles

Depth Range: 0 to 20 meters

Description: Their coloration is bright red and orange. Their medusa is large and has many long stinging tentacles. The lion’s mane jellyfish is the largest species of jellyfish.

Habitat and behavior: They float wherever currents take them and can only move vertically. They are generally found in mid-pelagic water but sometimes float on the surface. 

moon jelly

Scientific Name : Aurelia labiata

Family: Ulmaridae

Phylum: Cnidaria 

Typical Size: Up to 40 centimeters in diameter 

Depth Range : 0 to 20 meters

Description: Small clear dome body with characteristic four lobed clover design. Small, short tentacles.

Habitat and behavior: Moon jellies float in the water and move wherever currents take them. This trait is true of all plankton, which jellyfish are considered. However, the moon jelly has adapted some directional swimming abilities. Moon jellies live in salt or brackish waters, and the coastal waters of all zones. They are fed on by other jellyfish including the egg yolk jelly and lions mane jelly.

water jelly

Scientific name: Aequorea sp.

Family: Cyaneidae

Phylum: Cnidaria

Typical size: Up to 17.5 centimeters

Depth range: unknown

Description: They have a clear medusa with white lines extending radially from the center. Short tentacles line the periphery of the medusa.

Habitat and behavior: They live from Southern BC to Washington and are known to be bioluminescent.