Fried Egg Jellyfish

Size: bell up to 60cm across, tentacles up to 6m long

Range: Alaska to California and in cold/temperate waters around the world

Habitat: alternating between pelagic and benthic stages depending on their current reproductive cycle

Description: literally looks like a blob of scrambled eggs with a translucent bell and tentacles of varying length coming out from sixteen clusters. Slow moving, it will sometimes appear to be remaining still as it gently pulses in the water. It will sometimes have smaller marine animals living inside its bell.

Sting Treatment: rinse with sea water and then vinegar

Fun Facts: this jellyfish has a very light sting! Only the top of the bell is without stinging cells, and the rest of the animal is capable of stinging. Owing to the light nature of its sting, smaller creatures often live inside of it! Despite this, don't touch it, it's very similar to stinging nettles. Very slow moving, it will sometimes appear to be inverted in the water, with the fleshy interior trailing well behind the bell. A lot is known about this jellyfish and its life cycle because it has been successfully kept for study in the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

Information from: Wikipedia, Ocean Oasis Field Guide

Photos by: Graeme A. Barber