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Planet Jellies

Immerse yourself among otherworldly jellies and experience their underwater planet like never before.

What Will You Discover?

Slip into the watery realm of the mystical jellyfish where five different species — and thousands of individual jellies — put on a dazzling show of colors, shapes, and sizes before your very eyes.

Pacific Sea Nettle

Pacific sea nettles form massive open ocean groups at the surface where light-fueled plankton are most abundant, especially during summer. These massive groups may become more common as jelly populations rapidly increase due to changing environmental conditions and fewer predators like sea turtles.

Diet

Zooplankton

Range

Northern Pacific Ocean

Size

Up to 12 inches wide and 180 inches long

Did You Know?

The genus name of sea nettles, Chrysaora, is derived from the Greek mythological character Chrysaor, which translates to "golden blade." With its golden bell and stinging tentacles capable of quickly neutralizing prey, Chrysaor is an apt name for this species.

Moon Jelly

The medusa, or adult stage of the moon jelly, resembles a translucent, saucer-shaped dome floating through the water, with a four-leaf clover-shaped marking visible in the body's center. These clover-shaped markings are actually the reproductive organs.

Diet

Plankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea (likely elsewhere but may be different species)

Did You Know?

Jellies are one of the oldest multi-organ animals on Earth, with fossils dating back over 500 million years.

Upside-down Jelly

Upside-down jellies are usually found in shallow, sheltered coastal areas like lagoons and seagrass beds, especially around mangroves. Adults are typically found in groups, rhythmically pulsing to maintain their upside-down orientation against the substrate.

Diet

Zooplankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

Indo-Pacific region,Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Similar to many corals, this jelly has a symbiotic relationship with a specific type of algae that reside in their tissues and provide up to 90% of the jellies nutritional requirements by converting sunlight into energy. By orienting themselves upside-down in shallow water where the sunlight is intense, they are maximizing energy production.

South American Sea Nettle

With a bell about the same size as an open umbrella, the South American sea nettle is one of the largest jelly species in the region. To capture prey, the sea nettle uses an array of stinging tentacles that trail behind them in the water. When a creature is caught up in the tentacle web, the oral arms bring the prey to the mouth to be consumed.

Diet

Zooplankton

Size

Up to 36 inches wide and 108 inches long

Range

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans around South America

Did You Know?

During the summer months when jelly populations typically increase, the biomass of the South American sea nettle can equal that of millions of schooling fish like sardines or anchovies. This overabundance can damage fishing nets and even clog water pump intakes.

Planet Jellies

What Will You Discover?

What's Inside

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What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby