In this article I’ll be displaying some of the most important jellyfish facts for kids including jellyfish diet, habitat, reproduction and behavior. In general, Jellyfish is referred to as Medusa jellyfish and is the prime non-poly form of individuals of the phylum Cnidaria. They are the free-swimming aquatic animals comprising of gelatinous bell which is an umbrella-shaped together with tentacles. These fish exist in almost all the oceanic waters from the surface to the deep sea. Some of the species are also known to reside in freshwater. Jellyfish inhabit in the coastal zones globally. They are believed to have been in existence some 500 million years ago, making them the oldest multi-organ marine animal.
Jellyfish Facts For Kids
- These animals do not have nervous system or brain, but take up a movable network of nerves, positioned in the epidermis, which is known as ‘nerve net’.
- They have light-sensitive organs that do not develop images but they do identify light, and is called ocelli. Box jellyfish have been believed to be more superior as compared to their corresponding individuals. Box jellyfish have 24 eyes, amongst which two identify colors while four parallel brains that operate in competition, presumably making it one of the only animals to have a 360 degree view of its surrounding.
The size of the jellyfish measures around 1 mm in bell height while the diameter measuring at almost 2 m in bell height, the mouth parts and tentacles usually stretch further than the bell dimension.- Creeping jellyfish is the smallest specie belong to the Staurocladia having 0.5 mm bell discs together with short tentacles that stretch out further, on which these animals crawl at the base of the oceanic water. You cannot see these tiny fish but with a microscope or hand lens.
- The largest jellyfish is the lion’s mane jellyfish belong to the Cyanea capillata, and is measured at 36.5 m (120 ft) by length.
- The giant jellyfish is called Nomura’s jellyfish which is rarely found in the waters of China, Korea, and Japan. It can extend up to 200 cm (79 inches) in bell diameter and weigh around 200 kg (440 lb), with average length measuring at 90 cm (35 inches), and a weight of about 150 kg (330 lb).
Reproduction | Facts about Jellyfish For Kids
Jellyfish is known to spawn each day is there is ample food. In case of majority of the species, the spawning is organized by light.
Jellyfish can survive up to few hours or few months. The lifespan and maximum size differs considerably by species. They are widely kept in aquarium and the jellyfish aquarium must be properly looked after such as suitable time for feeding and cleanliness of the aquarium. Nearly all species can live for about 2 – 6 months. During this time they can grow up to 1 – 2 mm or 2 – 3 cm. the lifespan of these fish is 30 years.
With more than 350 different types of Jellyfish in the world, here we have listed the Top 10 Most Beautiful Types of Jellyfish on Planet Earth with facts and pictures. Visit now Types of Jellyfish
What Do Jellyfish Eat
Jellyfish are carnivorous and they predominantly feed in small fish, fish eggs, crustaceans, and plankton. They are also known to ingest jellyfish. These species prey passively by way of their tentacles as drift nets.
Predators
Some of the jellyfish predators include swordfish, tuna, sharks, sea turtles. Pacific salmon, and other jellyfish. Sea birds are also thought to be one of the predators. The formation of these animals largely depends on the nutrients, ocean currents, temperature, season, prey availability, moderate predation, oxygen concentrations, and sunshine. The population of jellyfish is not certain. However most of these species are known to exterminate from the major habitats including Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, tropical parts of the West Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Brazil. The invasive populations can stretch out quickly as they seldom face predators in the fresh habitat.
Where Do Jellyfish Live
Some of the jellyfish species inhabit in freshwater. This is particularly true for cosmopolitan freshwater jellyfish. The population of jellyfish has been limited to few lakes including Jellyfish Lake in Palau. The majority of the jellyfish inhabits at the bottom of the sea, at the ocean floor in plankton. The small creeping jellyfish is incapable to walk or swim around on rocky bottoms or seaweed fronds on their tentacles. Certain species are also found in the coastal habitats.
Do you know that Box Jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal! Read more at: Box Jellyfish Facts for Kids
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