ππ MOON JELLIES POLLππ
Added 2023-12-22 02:55:00 +0000 UTCHi Deep Peeps! Moon jellies go through several distinct - and strange - phases before reaching their final form. Which stage are you? Tell us about your answer in the comments.
And, if you havenβt seen our video, here it is. Enjoy! Also, let us know if youβve ever been stung by a jellyfish or seen a jellyfish bloom.
Moon jellyfish start off smaller than a pea but can grow to the size of dinner plates. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)
Moon jellyfish spend the first part of their lives as a polyp stuck to a hard surface such as a rock. The polyps spend their days catching tiny prey with their stinging tentacles. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)
When the conditions are right, moon jellyfish polyps develop ridges on their sides which grow into a stack of ephyrae. The ephyrae look like a stack of pancakes. Each individual pancake, called an ephyra, has the potential to one day break free and grow into an adult jellyfish. (Josh Cassidy/KQED)
A young and newly free-swimming moon jellyfish, called an ephyra. Josh Cassidy/KQED)
