Vardhan Patankar
( Mnemiopsis sp. )
You can find the near the water surface in shallow, warm waters.
The comb jelly is a beautiful oval shaped animal with tiny comb like plates that help it move through the water. As it moves, the comb like plates break up or refract light displaying a rainbow like colour and giving the viewer the feeling that the animal is glowing in the dark, but in fact, it is actually breaking up the light that is being shone on it. Another interesting fact is that this animal is made up of over 95% water!
In terms of their diet, they can expand their stomach to nearly half their size in order to fit big sized prey, feeding on various plankton and organic matter in their vicinity.
Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
( Mastigias papua )
You can find them in shallow marine waters and lagoons.
The Papuan or spotted jelly are named so because of the little dots that are scattered across them. Measuring between 2-10 cm, this jellyfish does not have any stinging cells for hunting.
They get their energy from the symbiotic algal cells that live in their tissue in addition to their several mouths that they use to feed on plankton.
Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
( Cassiopea andromeda )
Usually spotted in areas close to mangroves, mudflats or intertidal regions in shallow warm waters.
The upside down jelly fish is called so because of it's characteristic of swimming with its mouth and tentacles facing upwards, this is beacause these jellyfish have algal cells that live within their tissue and facing their body upwards allows for more light to shed on these photosynthesis performing algal cells. Be careful when coming close to these guys becasue they are known to offer a slight sting!
They feed on the various planktonic particles that their tentacles catch, However, they get most of their energy from their symbiotic algae cells in their body.
Vardhan Patankar
( Aurelia aurita )
Found in shallow waters, where current is high.
All moon jellies are jellyfish that are almost entirely translucent and can range in size to a maximum of 25-30 cm in diameter. They are almost incapable of conducting their own movement and tend to use the current to transport themselves. Another important identifiable for the moon jellies are their horshoe shaped reproducing organ visible from through the top of their 'head'.
They feed by catching suspended organic matter in the water column with their tentacles which they then push to their mouth.