How many jellyfish are born at once?

Answer 1

Moon jellyfish are not fish: Fish are vertebrates and belong to phylum Chordata, while Moon Jellyfish are invertebrates belonging to phylum Cnidaria. Phylum Cnidaria comprises corals, sea anemones, sea whips, sea pens, hydras, Portuguese man-of-war and sea fan corals, along with Moon jellyfish. The members of phylum Cnidaria are multicellular, diploblastic (having two cell layers) radial symmetric organisms, featuring special microscopic cells called nematocysts or sting cells, which enable them to stun and capture their prey.

Moon jellyfish resemble floating mushrooms: Moon Jellyfish appear to be like floating mushrooms with a transparent, milky-white, or light purple, bell-shaped body from which numerous long, thread like arms called tentacles, branch out floating underwater like weeping willow branches. The bell shaped upper body can be as large as 18 inches, thereby giving the animal the appearance of a flying saucer. Hence, Moon jellyfish are also often termed as saucer jelly. The bell portion is further divided into eight parts or canals which further branch and reach the digestive system. The jellyfish has only one opening which serves as the mouth as well as the anus.

Moon jellyfish are 95% water: Moon Jellyfish do not possess brain, heart, blood, head, eyes or ears. They are 95% water and are basically a floating mouth and digestive system. They have a complex set of nerves that respond to stimuli, but they cannot think. They do not possess any lungs, gills or any tracheal system, and receive oxygen simply by diffusion through a thin membrane. As they have a large bell shaped body, the surface area available for diffusion is also large.

Moon jellyfish have two main stages of life: Two dividions or stages of body plan is seen in the lifetime of a Moon jellyfish. The first type or stage is called the polyp stage and the second is the medusa stage. The first stage of life is characterized by two distinctive features, a mouth which is open upwards and attachment to a substrate or a surface. The medusa stage features the bell shaped body of the jellyfish, with the mouth opening downwards. In this stage, they are no longer attached to the substrate and are free swimming. However, in some Aurelia aurita, species the polyp stage does not exist.

Moon jellyfish depend on ocean currents for locomotion: Moon jellyfish in their larval stages make use of cilia for locomotion. The polyps use their gastrovascular cavity as a hydrostatic skeleton and also use few muscle like cells for contraction and extension movements. They creep along the substrate by using the muscle cells. The medusa move differently and use muscle cells called coronal muscle, present in the bell shaped upper body. This coronal muscle enables the animal to pulsate by its contraction movements, thereby causing it to move. These impulses sent to the coronal muscles are nervous in origin and are from the sub-umbrellar nerve net.

When the muscle cells contract in a rhythmic fashion, movement by jet propulsion occurs. The jellyfish controls these propulsions with the help of rhopalial centers. This swimming function is carried out, not to move from one place to another, but to keep themselves near the surface of the water. They swim horizontally in such a manner, so that at all times the bell shaped upper part remains near the surface of the water, thereby allowing them to spread their tentacles over a large area to catch maximum prey. Moon jellyfish are carried from place to place solely by the movement of ocean currents.

Moon jellyfish possess sting cells: The net of tentacles present in the lower part of the body of jellyfish are studded with scores of poisonous sting cells called cnidocytes or nematocysts, which are capable of injecting poison. The moment the tentacles brush against a prey, the numerous sting cells explode, thereby launching barbed stingers and poison into the prey's body. These sting cells are their defense mechanism and help in protecting themselves from predators. Nematocysts also play an important role in food capture.

Moon jellyfish are carnivorous: These invertebrates feed on zooplankton and are carnivorous. They feed primarily on mollusks, rotifers, nematods, diatoms, fish larvae, tunicate larvae, crustaceans, protozoans and several other small planktons. When the tentacles brush against the prey, their sting cells render the prey inactive. The inactive prey is then collected primarily on the surface of the jellyfish where they get entangled in the mucus. Further, by flagellar action, the food is passed through the mouth, along the eight canals inside the jellyfish body. These canals run into the stomach and bring the food to the stomach via the ring canal, where it is broken down by digestive enzymes.

Gonads are a distinctive feature of Moon jellyfish: Moon jellyfish contain 4 gonads that are situated at the bottom of the stomach. Moon jellyfish attain sexual maturity mostly in spring and summer and reproduction in them is sexual (distinct male and females). These gonads are characterized by bright coloration which can be clearly seen through the transparent bell body. When a Moon jellyfish is observed from above, the gonads appear like 4 horse shoe shaped parts, thereby becoming a distinguishing feature of these animals. These animals when observed during the months of August or September, show distinct pink arms, due to myriads of larvae developing at the edge of the bell shaped upper body.

Moon jellyfish are commonly observed to be washed out on the shores of the Long Beach Island beaches during the summer high tides and winds. By the time they get washed by the currents and land on the beach, their tentacles are ruptured and worn out. The bell portion of the Moon jellyfish cannot sting, and if at all you get stung by the tentacles, there is no need to worry as most of them are harmless (only some are poisonous). The stung area will hurt, but application of some household vinegar or urine has proven to be quite effective in treating the sting.

Answer 2

The average amount of babies they have is 4-6

Answer 3

it has 30 babies

Answer 4

10-39

Answer 5

464

Answer 6

10