How to Identify a Lion's Mane Jellyfish
The lion's mane jellyfish, Cyanea capillata, gets its name from its brightly colored, very long tentacles that often resemble the mane of a lion. Because the lion's mane jellyfish has a toxic sting that can harm humans, proper identification of this jellyfish is crucial to one's safety.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Look for lion's mane jellyfish in the areas in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean. You can find them living either deep beneath the ocean surface or just below the surface of the ocean water.
-
2
Estimate the size range of a lion's mane jellyfish. These jellyfish can grow to have a bell (body) of up to 8 feet in diameter. Typically, you can find larger lion's mane jellyfish as you travel further north throughout their range. In the southern parts of their range, the bell of a lion's mane jellyfish measures approximately one and a half feet in diameter. The tentacles of a lion's mane jellyfish can grow very long measuring over 100 feet in length.
-
-
3
Take note of the appearance of a lion's mane jellyfish. The bell of the lion's mane jellyfish has eight distinct lobes. The bell usually has a brightly colored pigment ranging from red to orange to yellow. Sometimes, the bell can appear magenta or purple in color as well. Lion's mane jellyfish have brown or red colored oral arms and eight separate clusters of long tentacles.
-
4
Know about the behaviors of the lion's mane jellyfish. These jellyfish, because of their size, swim very slowly. Often, they rely on the ocean currents to help them move about. Lion's mane jellyfish mate in the springtime, and you can find larger specimens of lion's mane jellyfish during the late summer and fall months.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can sometimes see lion's mane jellyfish further south during the cold winter months. For this reason, some refer to lion's mane jellyfish as the "winter jelly."
Lion's mane jellyfish can sting. Avoid encounters with lion's mane jellyfish if possible and especially during the peak of their population in the late summer and fall.
