What Do Jellyfish Eat?
If you have ever been stung by a jellyfish, you know that the balloon-like blob is a powerful animal. They eat through an opening that goes straight to their stomach after paralyzing their prey with the venom released through stingers in their tentacles.
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Identification
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Jellyfish belong to the phylum called Coelenterada, which means hollow intestine. They are carnivorous animals that eat plankton and crustaceans. They, in turn, are devoured by spade fish, sunfish and sea turtles. One variety, the yellow Rhopilema Verrilli, is even considered a delicacy in certain Asian recipes when it is pickled or dried.
Features
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Jellyfish have a hollow central cavity in the middle of their body. One opening leads directly into this cavity, which functions as the animal's stomach. The pulsating action of the tentacles near the opening maneuver water and food into the fish.
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Types
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There are three main groups of jellyfish: hydrozoa, scyphozoa and ctenophora. Probably the most familiar is the Portuguese Man-of-War, the physalia plagica. This jellyfish looks like a large purple balloon floating on top of the water. Below the water are stinger-covered tentacles that can be up to 40 feet long. Stings from a Portuguese Man-of-War can paralyze a large fish. This jellyfish is really a colony of several jellyfish called hydroids.
Size
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The largest of all the jellyfish is the Sea Blubber, the Cyanea Capillate. This species can grow to between 6 to 7 feet in diameter and boasts tentacles that are between 30 and 40 feet long. A much smaller jellyfish is the Many-Tentacled Jellyfish, the Zygodactyla Groenlandica. It has 100 tentacles that it uses to bring its food to its mouth.
Warning
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In the event that you are stung by a large jellyfish, remove the tentacles from your skin as soon as possible because they can continue to release toxic venom as long as they are touching you. Jellyfish stings can cause a lot more than just pain. Some are powerful enough to cause you to collapse or even to go into shock. Medical attention may be indicated to treat a jellyfish sting.
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