The moon jellyfish is generally translucent, but its color can vary and take on a slightly bluish or pinkish hue depending on its age and diet.
Geographic range
The moon jellyfish is a common species found in temperate and tropical coastal waters of seas and oceans around the world. It is particularly found in the coastal waters of Northern Europe, the Caribbean sea, and the Red sea.
Habitat
Like all jellyfish, the moon jellyfish drifts with the currents and can be found along coastlines.
Diet
The moon jellyfish primarily feeds on small planktonic organisms and fish larvae, which it captures with its tentacles as it drifts with the currents.
The moon jellyfish has different forms of reproduction that include various developmental stages, such as larval planktonic forms and polyps, before taking its adult jellyfish form.
It can reproduce sexually by releasing male gametes into the seawater, which then fertilize the gametes still held by the female jellyfish. The fertilized eggs remain attached under the bell of the female jellyfish and develop into planktonic larvae.
Did you know ?
The moon jellyfish is capable of producing a faint bioluminescent glow in the dark. This bioluminescence is due to the presence of specific proteins in its jelly, allowing it to attract prey or defend itself against predators.
The moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
Due to climate change, jellyfish blooms, which are proliferations of jellyfish, occur regularly in certain regions of the world, and the moon jellyfish is one of the species responsible for these blooms, particularly in Northern Europe, where it is widespread.
Discover also
Bladed fire coral (Millepora complanata)
Blue jellyfish (Cyanea lamarckii)
Common sea fan (Gorgonia ventalina)
Fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata)
Giant caribbean anemone (Condylactis gigantea)
Pharaoh coral (Acropora parapharaonis)
Plumose sea anemone (Metridium senile)
Slimy sea plume (Antillogorgia americana)
The marine species from Mediterranean sea
Common two-banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris)
European conger eel (Conger conger)
False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
Green spoon worm (Bonellia viridis)
Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis)
Ocean sunfish (Mola mola)
Pink flatworm (Prostheceraeus roseus)
Purple-striped jelly (Pelagia noctiluca)
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