Jellyfish
Jellyfish are soft, brainless sea animals that pulse their bell-shaped bodies to drift and swim. Their tentacles carry stinging cells used to catch food.
Key numbers
Moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
| Bell width | 10–60 cm (4–24 in)(animaldiversity.org) |
|---|---|
| Lifespan (wild) | 0.1–2 years(animaldiversity.org) |
| Lifespan (human care) | 0.5–1 years(animaldiversity.org) |
| Diet | Feeds on plankton and other tiny animals, such as copepods and fish eggs, that stick to its mucus-coated bell and tentacles.(animaldiversity.org) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Coastal waters of most oceans except the Arctic; common along the California coast.(animaldiversity.org) |
Sources give different figures for some of these numbers; we show the range they support.
Our full jellyfish profile is on the way. Meanwhile, see it next to a person, to scale.