10 Amazing Facts About Lion's Mane Jellyfish

We have a special guest today!


This guest post is by Cherilyn Jose, a SCUBA diver, photographer, writer and blogger.  Her blog, "Ocean of Hope: Marine Animals Voice Their Wishes" is often written from an animal's point-of-view.  Check it out here Ocean of Hope: Marine Animals Voice Their Wishes and follow her on twitter @protectoceans

Note: Since Jellyfish aren’t really fish, I will now refer to them as Jellies instead

Lion's Mane Jelly. C. Coimbra photo

1. The Lion’s Mane Jelly is the largest Jelly in the ocean.  Its bell can reach up to 8 feet in diameter, and its tentacles up to 120 feet long (that’s longer than a blue whale!).
2. The Lion’s Mane Jelly lives in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.
3. The Lion’s Mane Jelly is bioluminescent (glows in the dark!).
4. Like all jellies, the Lion’s Mane Jelly has no brain, blood, or nervous system.
5. Like all jellies, the Lion’s Mane Jelly is 95% water.
6. There are 200 species of True Jellies.
7. All Jellies are radially symmetrical.
8. Jellies have no eyes, but rather eye spots that detect light and dark.
9. Lion’s Mane Jellies have nematocysts in their tentacles that they use to sting their prey. Nematocysts are barbs (sharp points) filled with venom.
10. A Jelly can sting you even if washed up on the beach so be careful!  Jelly stings on humans can be treated with vinegar to lessen the pain.