What are jellyfish structural adaptations?

Answer 1

Jellyfish are bell shaped or umbrella shaped creatures that have adapted themselves very well for a life in water. Jelly like substance makes up most of its body. They are beautiful creatures found in water that have been a subject of fascination for a lot of people.

It is made up of more than 90% water which helps it float easily in water. To protect themselves from predators, they have stinging cells. These stinging cells also can keep the jellyfish warm. They sting not just for defense but also for catching a prey. There are about 200 different species of jellyfish which have taken on different adaptation to suit the environment they live in such as warm, cold, shallow or deep sea.

They are free swimming creatures and have large tentacles to help them put their food in their mouth. Some jellyfish filter feed themselves, whereas some others feed on live animals by first killing them with their sting. The sting usually immobilizes the prey which is then moved to the mouth with the tentacles and is then taken to the mouth and the food is then distributed to the rest of the body through canals that are radial.

For mobility, they use the muscles that line the margin of the bell to move up and down. These muscles contract and relax in order to move the jellyfish. The waves and currents help in their horizontal movement. While most of these jellyfish actively move around, some of them are found to passively float.

Some jellyfish have developed simple sense organs while some other have complex sense organs. One of the jellyfish found in northern seas can grow upto 6 feet across and have tentacles up to 100 ft. Another hydrozoan lives in colonies with tentacles the length of 60 feet and have developed a sac like gas filled structure which acts as a float.

The jellyfish have adapted themselves very well for life in marine as well as fresh water living. Though they don't have a complex digestive system like more evolved beings, they digest using their gastrodermal lining where nutrients are absorbed. They also don't require a respiratory system as the gas can diffuse through their extremely thin skin.

They do not even have a brain. They just have a loose network of nerves which form a nerve net which can detect stimuli like the touch of other organism. Jellyfish have light detecting organs which can help them decide which is the top of the ocean and which is the bottom using the light of the sun.

When the right temperature, ocean current, nutrients, and ambient oxygen is available, it result in a jellyfish bloom which will have a swarm of up to 100,000 jellyfish. Because of all this adaptations, they have successfully survived for thousands of years and are still found in plenty which could be because of the increase in nutrients in the water because of human influence.

Answer 2

1. Box Jellyfishes are known to have poisonous stinging cells in them. These stinging cells (cnidocytes) help them to ward off potential predators and it also helps them catch their food easily.

2. Jellyfishes are made up of 95% water, making them float effectively in the waters

3. They are free swimming when they're adults, unlike other members in the Phylum Cnidaria, so hunting for food and escaping predators is much easier.

4. Nerve net with symmetrical and asymmetrical synapses; with some sensory organs; diffuse conduction (at symmetrical synapses, impulse can go both directions) hope this helps

Answer 3

For jellyfish reproduction, the male jellyfish releases its sperm in the water, and the female carries her eggs in her mouth or stomach. The egg is fertilized when the sperm come in contact with the eggs. Then itÊpasses through many different stages of development before it is recognized as an adultÊjellyfish.Ê

Answer 4

Jellyfish have stinging cells in their tentacles, like all cnidarians. They belong in the same group as sea anenomes, coral, and hydras. They have no blood, brain or heart and most reproduce sexually.

Answer 5

The adaptations of a jellyfish are that they are made up of 90% water, because of that it helps them to float easily in water. Jellyfish have sting cells that allow them to sting other animals especially their predators. The sting cells also keep the jellyfish warm.

tentacles: to catch prey and for protection

box shape: to move easily

Answer 6

The "mesoglea", the jelly of jellyfish is just about the same density as the water in which they live. They are slightly more dense than the water resulting in the fact that they will slowly sink. This is a valuable adaptation of Jellyfish. Their shape resembles that of an umbrella and this also slows down their decent . As they descend their tentacles are outstreched and can sting and snare small bits of food for the jellyfish. Along the margin of their body they have small light sensitive structures which help keep them "right side up".

The Portuguese Man o War and many other medusae have air bladders which keep the on the surface of the water which is their feeding area.

Answer 7

An example of jellyfish's structural adaptations is that most jellyfish can sting.

Answer 8

stinging enemys till stunned or dead