10 Incredible Lion’s Mane Jellyfish Facts

The lion’s mane jellyfish, also known as Cyanea capillata, lives in the icy waters of the Arctic, North Atlantic and North Pacific. It is distributed from western to southern Scandinavia to the English Channel, Irish Sea and North Sea. It was probably drifting toward the southwestern corner of the Baltic Sea. It is possible that Australia and New Zealand are the same species of jellyfish.

The largest specimen, found off the coast of Massachusetts in 1865, had 36.6 m (120 ft) long tentacles and a 210 cm (7 ft) diameter bell. Lion’s mane jellyfish have been found in east coast bays below 42° north latitude. The lion’s mane jellyfish uses its spiny tentacles to catch and eat fish, zooplankton, sea life and smaller jellyfish. Do you want to know more? Read on to discover 10 incredible lion’s mane jellyfish facts!

1. A single lion’s mane can sting more than 50 people

New England beachgoers had a special day on June 16, 2010. A 40-pound dead lion’s mane was found at the site where 50-100 swimmers were stung in Rye, New Hampshire. This led authorities to believe they had apprehended the perpetrator.

The scientists hypothesized that the lifeless jellyfish could still cause pain if it were broken up into several large pieces floating around and touching the observer. We can’t be 100% sure.

2. They are often surrounded by schools of fish

Fish of the genus Caranx eagerly seek out lion’s mane jellyfish and circle around their tentacles for protection, even though the invertebrate’s sting is harmful to smaller organisms, including other jellyfish. There are more questions than answers surrounding jelly biology, she said. Instead, totoaba will hide in the barbed wire and feed on the remaining jellyfish until they are large enough to venture out into the open ocean.

3. Lion’s mane jellyfish can grow very large

Lion’s mane jellyfish can reach lengths of up to 120 feet! But don’t say that such a jellyfish is the world record holder for the length of marine life. Marine scientists have been debating whether the saltwater shoelace worm, also known as Lineus longissimus, which can grow up to 180 feet long, deserves the moniker. However, the “lion’s mane jellyfish” is the largest jellyfish. In 1865, the largest specimen ever discovered was unearthed off the coast of Massachusetts. Its tentacles extend a total of 120 feet, and its body is about 7 feet wide!

4. Lion’s mane jellyfish prefer cooler waters

From late November to early March, the Chesapeake Bay is home to the lion’s mane jellyfish (also known as the “winter jellyfish”). Since they are more adapted to the cold arctic climate, they only move south when the ocean is cold enough. Additionally, they rarely swim to depths greater than 66 feet, preferring to stay near the surface.

5. The lion’s mane jellyfish doesn’t live very long

The jellyfish, known as the lion’s mane, usually doesn’t live very long. Lion’s mane jellyfish only live for one year, but they can grow as large as blue whales. Therefore, they must be able to hunt and eat large amounts of prey during that time to stay alive.

6. The lion’s mane jellyfish has as many as 1,200 tentacles

While some jellyfish can have hundreds of tentacles, the vast majority have only a few dozen hanging below their bells. There are eight groups of them, each with seventy to one hundred and fifty individual tentacles.

7. Predator and prey beware

Lion’s mane jellyfish must tread carefully to avoid being eaten by hungry anemones. Additionally, leatherback sea turtles have been found devouring them off the coast of Canada. Oral papillae, located in the reptile’s larynx and pointing backward, help move food toward the stomach, making escape difficult for the animal.

8. The lion’s mane jellyfish has no brain

Contrary to popular belief, these creatures do actually have neurons, which are rings of nerves that can be detected in their “hoods” or “bells.” Without a true brain or eyes, the lion’s mane must rely on its nerve cells to sense and respond to potential threats, such as prey. Detectors in their bodies would tell them if they were ascending or descending, approaching or fleeing the light. When pulled in one direction, jellyfish swim against the current.

9. They eat and poop through the same orifice

A jellyfish’s mouth and anus are located in the same unusual opening. This means that bodily waste is expelled through the lion’s mane jellyfish’s mouth. Although the jellyfish have only one digestive opening through which all their food and waste must pass, for the most part they do this job quickly and efficiently. That says a lot about what happens in our own stomachs after a meal!

10. Lion’s mane jellyfish can reproduce sexually and asexually

The complex life cycle of jellies produces a wide variety of morphologies. After maturing into a Medusa or “adult” form, they can reproduce by releasing gametes. Animals in the polyp stage can undergo asexual self-cloning when they are firmly anchored to the seafloor.

Let’s be honest, the lion’s mane jellyfish can clone itself. Jellyfish have an unusual life cycle as they reproduce both sexually and asexually. While still in the polyp stage of development, they can make many copies of themselves, eventually becoming sexually active adult jellyfish.

Similar animals:

freshwater jellyfish

moon jellyfish

Immortal jellyfish