The largest jellyfish discovered by scientists to date is the giant Arctic jellyfish, better known as the "Cyanea hairy" or "Lion's mane". The length of its tentacles can reach 37 meters, this is comparable to the size of a ten-story building; the diameter of its dome is two and a half meters. The Latin names of the jellyfish are Cyanea capillata, Cyanea arctica, which in translation sounds like “Blue-haired jellyfish” or “Arctic jellyfish”.

There are two more species of this jellyfish: Cuanea lamarckii, which in translation sounds like “Blue Cyanea”, and Cuanea capillata nozakii – “Sea Cyanea”. However, both of them are inferior in size to their “relative”.

Dimensions of the largest jellyfish

In terms of its dimensions, the Arctic cyanea can easily compete with the largest representative of the ocean fauna - Blue whale, the weight of which can reach 180 tons, and the length is about thirty meters.

In 1865, near the North Atlantic coast of the United States, in Massachusetts Bay, a huge jellyfish was thrown out of the sea. Its length was 37 meters, and the diameter of the dome was 2 m 29 cm. This sample is the largest of all, whose dimensions have been officially documented.

Habitat

Arctic cyanide has chosen the cold and moderately cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its populations are located off the coast of the Australian continent, but most representatives of this type of jellyfish live in the basins of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as in ice-free waters of the Arctic. The mild climate of warm seas does not benefit the cyanide; here its populations are either completely absent or few in number.

Structure and color

The body color of the largest jellyfish is dominated by reddish and brown tones. In older specimens, the edges of the dome are red, and in the upper part a yellowish color predominates. Smaller jellyfish are colored light orange or light brown.

The sticky tentacles of cyanea are collected in 8 groups. Each of them contains 60-150 tentacles arranged in rows. With their help, the jellyfish paralyzes its prey by injecting poison into the body of the prey. Jellyfish prefer to hunt in groups, several individuals at a time, as if forming with their tentacles a huge net, into which, in addition to small fish, many invertebrates also fall.

Danger to humans

The burn left by cyanide is not life-threatening, although it is quite sensitive, allergic reactions are also possible. Painful sensations can last up to 8-10 hours, sometimes longer.

01/12/2016 at 20:06 · Pavlofox · 18 850

Top 10 largest jellyfish in the world

Jellyfish are the oldest Marine life, which appeared hundreds of millions of years ago. These underwater inhabitants got their name due to their resemblance to mythical creature- Medusa Gorgon. The body of these animal representatives sea ​​world more than 90% consists of water. Their favorite place habitats are salt waters. Translucent creatures are the object of research by scientists. The poisonous and largest jellyfish are of particular interest.

10. Irukandji Medusa | 10 centimeters

- one of the most poisonous Pacific jellyfish. The main habitat is Australian waters. The diameter of its dome is about 10 centimeters. Irukandji has four tentacles, the length of which can reach 1 meter. A jellyfish sting is dangerous to humans and can cause a number of unpleasant consequences: pain throughout the body, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia and even pulmonary edema. In rare cases, death may occur. Irukaji's venom has a slow-acting property, so symptoms may appear over several days. Despite its small size, it poses a certain risk for swimmers.

9. Medusa Pelagia | 12 centimeters

(Night Light) is one of the most beautiful disc jellyfish, which is common in the waters of the World and Atlantic Oceans, as well as in the Red and Mediterranean Seas. The body diameter of the jellyfish reaches 12 centimeters. The color of the umbrella is purple-red and has ornate frills around the edges. In addition to stinging cells and tentacles, Pelagia has four oral cavities. The jellyfish begins to glow the moment it comes into contact with any objects. The main living creatures that the Nightlight feeds on are benthos, sometimes fry and crustaceans. The jellyfish poses a certain danger to humans, since its injected poison causes burns and, in some cases, shock.

8. Portuguese Man of War | 25 centimeters

(Physalia) - a jellyfish is a bubble in the form of a “sailboat” floating on the surface of the water. The body of the “sailfish” is 25 centimeters, but the tentacles of Physalia can reach 50 meters, which it hides under water. It has a beautiful blue or purple color. The Portuguese man-of-war prefers to feed on fish larvae and small squid. Physalia is one of the most poisonous sea ​​jellyfish. Upon contact with its tentacles, a person receives a severe burn, which is accompanied by acute pain. The injected poison can paralyze all vital organs, so it is difficult for a stung swimmer to stay on the water, and the person drowns. The Portuguese man-of-war is easy to spot from afar, thanks to its bright and beautiful coloring, so you can avoid encountering it while sailing.

7. Aurelia | 40 centimeters

(Eared jellyfish) is one of the most common types of large jellyfish. Aurelia's body is almost transparent and reaches 40 centimeters. Numerous thin tentacles have stinging cells that strike prey. Four oral lobes resemble drooping ears, which is why Aurelia received the name Ushastaya. This species feeds mainly on plankton and crustaceans. The eared jellyfish does not pose a danger to humans, and its bite can only cause a burn. In Asian countries, Aurelia is used to prepare exotic dishes.

6. Australian Sea Wasp | 45 centimeters

- the most poisonous inhabitant of the World Ocean. The main habitat of the species is the coasts of Indonesia and Australia. The dome of the Sea Wasp is 45 centimeters and is equipped with 60 tentacles, which can reach more than 3 meters when hunting prey. The sea animal has 24 eyes. It instantly stings a passing object in several places at once. Death from poisonous jellyfish stings can occur in just a few minutes. A swimmer who is stung receives enough to cause a heart attack and often drowns. It is quite difficult to notice this jellyfish due to its transparency. The Australian wasp feeds on small fish and shrimp.

5. Cornerot | 60 centimeters

- one of largest sea jellyfish, living in Black and Mediterranean seas. The weight of the sea dweller can reach 10 kg, and the diameter of the dome is 60 centimeters. For humans, Cornerot poses no danger and can only cause mild irritation upon contact with the tentacles. Cornerot's umbrella is a “shelter” small fish who are hiding under the dome from danger. This species feeds only on plankton. Jellyfish are actively used in medicine for the preparation of medicines, as well as in cooking. In Japan, Thailand and China, a variety of dishes are prepared from Cornerot.

4. Purple Striped Jellyfish | 70 centimeters

- one of the largest and most graceful jellyfish that lives in the Gulf of Monterey. The dome of the animal reaches 70 centimeters and has a rich color. A Purple Jellyfish sting can cause severe burns to a person. This type has not yet been thoroughly studied by science, so there is very little information about the animal.

3. Medusa Chrysaora | 1 meter

(Sea nettle) - an inhabitant of the Pacific Ocean reveals the three largest jellyfish in the world. The body of an adult Chryasora can reach 1 meter, and its numerous tentacles can reach 4 meters. Tentacles severed from the body can exist separately in sea ​​depths for several weeks and sting. Sea nettle stings leave burns in the form of thin welts. Victims experience sharp pain and burning, but do not pose a danger to human health. Chriasora is one of the most beautiful representatives of its own species, which is why the animal is often kept in oceanariums and aquariums. In the ocean, sea nettle feeds on plankton and small jellyfish.

2. Bell of Nomura | 2 meters

(Lion's mane) - one of the largest species of jellyfish living in the seas Far East. Nomura measures 2 meters in size and can weigh up to 200 kg. Marine animals cause harm to the fishing industry. A giant hairy ball gets caught in the net, tangling it. When the fishermen try to free the net, Nomura sharply stings the man. In case of an allergic reaction to the poison, it is possible death from the bite of a Lion's mane. From time to time, large accumulations of Nomura are observed off the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan.

1. Hairy Cyanea | 2.3 meters

- ranks first among the giant jellyfish in the world. The body of individual individuals of Cyanea can reach 2.3 meters, and the length of the tentacles is 37 meters. The main habitat of this species is seas and oceans. These jellyfish rarely approach the shores and prefer to exist at depths of 20 meters. Giant Cyanea does not pose a serious danger to humans. Its bite can only cause a burn. Large individuals feed on plankton and other jellyfish.

What else to see:

Jellyfish are mysterious and beautiful representatives of underwater inhabitants, which have been studied by biologists for decades and have not yet revealed all their secrets. It is believed that these creatures lived on the planet even before the appearance of dinosaurs, and some of them are immortal.

Today, the Earth is inhabited by over two hundred varieties of jellyfish. Some of them are small, so they often end up in an aquarium and are kept there as pets, while others are so large that they can fit a person in their stomach. The article will discuss the largest of them.

It is also called gonionema or “cross” and is included in the list poisonous jellyfish. It inhabits the Pacific Ocean and is most often found near the shores of China and the state of California. The size of the jellyfish is small and reaches 4 centimeters. Its dome is transparent, it has a cross-shaped pattern and about 60 thin tentacles covered with stinging cells. The venom of the cross jellyfish rarely leads to death and only when a person is allergic to it. It basically leaves painful burns that are difficult to heal.

Irukandji are common inhabitants of the world's oceans, famous for their potent poison, dangerous to humans. When stung by a jellyfish, whose dome size is 10 centimeters, the victim develops a whole chain of paralytic reactions within half an hour. These include gastrointestinal dysfunction, back and muscle pain, pulmonary edema and problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The combination of these symptoms was called “Irukandji syndrome.” Fortunately, doctors long ago developed an antidote, so over the past 20 years the number of deaths from jellyfish stings of this species has decreased significantly.

Interesting!

Some varieties of jellyfish have eyes that provide 360-degree vision. They need them to search for food and detect natural enemies.

The jellyfish is a beautiful underwater creature, endowed with the ability to emit light pulses when it comes into contact with various surfaces and objects. Often the pelagic nocturnal moth washes up on the coast, which is why the creature glows with multi-colored lights at night. A special feature of jellyfish is the presence of 8 stinging tentacles studded with poisonous glands. Contact with them causes severe burns that take a long time to heal. Therefore, doctors recommend that those who go on vacation to the Atlantic, Pacific Ocean or Red Sea not to touch speckled jellyfish, the diameter of which does not exceed 12 centimeters.

It inhabits the waters of the world's oceans, is often found off the coast of Pakistan and causes many problems for swimmers. The jellyfish, whose length together with the tentacles reaches 15 centimeters, has paralytic poison. One bite of alatina alata can cause severe poisoning and lead to death. Small individuals are especially dangerous. They are transparent and practically invisible in water, which is why a person can touch them and get hurt.

It was not by chance that the name of the jellyfish was the Portuguese man-of-war. It is a jelly-like animal that spends most of its life on the water. Her body is a 25-centimeter bubble that constantly floats on the surface of the world's oceans. Goads Portuguese man of war attracts small fish, which are then drawn inside its dome. The tentacles of a jellyfish are covered with glands containing paralytic poison. It can cause enormous damage to human health, and in especially severe cases lead to death. If a swimmer is stung by a Portuguese man-of-war, you should go to the hospital immediately, even if there are no symptoms yet.

Another name for jellyfish is eared jellyfish. It is one of the most widespread invertebrates in the world, as it inhabits all the oceans on the planet. The animal is not active; it swims slowly, squeezing and relaxing its dome. Its tentacles are short, dot the edges of its body and do not contain poison dangerous to humans. The size of aurelia does not exceed 40 centimeters. In Asia, jellyfish are eaten, sometimes raw. However, you need to be careful with such an exotic dish, because an improperly prepared creature can burn the esophagus or cause bleeding in the stomach.

It lives mainly near the coast of Australia; occasionally jellyfish of this species are found near the Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia. It is characterized by a blue luminous 45-centimeter dome and long, thread-thin tentacles. I sea ​​wasp so strong that one individual can kill up to 50 people if they do not seek help from a doctor in time. The only creature that can survive a jellyfish sting is sea ​​turtle. For them, sea wasp venom is safe, so they happily eat invertebrates.

A beautiful and large jellyfish that can be found near the continents in the south globe. It is also often caught in the nets of fishermen in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. The dome of an adult can reach 180 centimeters and weight up to 120 kilograms. Cornerotes are useful creatures whose poison is used in medicine to treat various diseases. An animal bite is safe for humans. Contact with a jellyfish may leave a slight burn or blisters on your body. In Japan and Korea, cornmouths are eaten. They are used to make salads or add a gelatinous mass to soups.

Interesting!

Turritopsis dornii jellyfish are considered immortal creatures by scientists. They can endlessly enter the polyp stage and be born again, and so on until they are eaten by predators.

Purple striped jellyfish – rare view, which is practically not studied by biologists. The largest individual that fell into the hands of scientists weighed about 130 kilograms, and the diameter of its dome was 190 centimeters. The remaining creatures of this species, living off the coast of Southern California, grow up to 70 cm in diameter. So far, doctors have not recorded cases of death from the venom of the purple striped jellyfish, but bites, despite the rarity of the animal, are common. After poisoning, hard-to-heal blisters and ulcers form on the skin.

An incredibly beautiful and little-studied species of jellyfish, representatives of which have a dome up to 2 meters in size. The bottom of the body of Nomura's bell is studded with thin and wide tentacles, each of which has poisonous glands. Animals live near the coasts of Japan, China and Korea. They rarely harm swimmers, but often disturb fishermen. A Nomura caught in a net can kill the entire catch, spraying poison around, and even capsize a light fishing boat.

The most big jellyfish in the world. It is also called the lion's mane, arctic or hairy jellyfish. The length of the tentacles of this animal is about 37 meters, and the diameter of the body (dome) is up to 250 cm. Cyanea is the largest representative family scyphoid. Its closest relatives are Japanese or blue cyanide. The creature lives in the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is occasionally found in Arctic waters. IN warm seas hairy cyanea does not survive, and if this happens, the individual grows up to 50 cm in diameter.

Video on topic

The Arctic cyanide is the largest jellyfish in the world. This is very interesting and mysterious creature, living in very harsh conditions, giving preference to the cold waters of the Arctic, and with the help of this article we will try to get to know it better.

External Description

The diameter of the jellyfish's dome reaches an average of 50-70 centimeters, but specimens up to 2-2.5 meters are often found.

Such an inhabitant of the oceans can even be called a giant. It is not for nothing that stories by writers (for example, Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lion’s Mane”) that mention arctic cyanide are very popular. Its size, however, depends entirely on its habitat. Moreover, the further north it lives, the larger it becomes.

Arctic cyanide also has numerous tentacles that are located along the edges of the dome. Depending on the size of the jellyfish, they can reach from 20 to 40 meters in length. It is thanks to them that this sea creature has a second name - hairy jellyfish.

Its color is striking in its diversity, and young Arctic cyanides have bright colors. With age they become duller in color. Jellyfish are usually found in dirty orange, purple and brown colors.

Habitat

Arctic cyanide lives in the waters of the Arctic and Pacific oceans, where it lives almost anywhere. The only exceptions are the Azov and Black Seas.

Most often, the jellyfish prefers to be close to the shore, mainly in upper layers water. However, it can also be found in the open ocean.

Lifestyle of a jellyfish

The Arctic cyanea, photos of which, in addition to our article, can be found in various literature, is a rather active predator. Its diet includes plankton, crustaceans and small fish. If, due to a lack of food, the Arctic cyanea begins to starve, it can switch to its relatives, both its own species and other jellyfish.

The hunt goes as follows: it rises to the surface of the water, points its tentacles in different directions and waits. In this state, jellyfish look like algae. As soon as its prey, swimming by, touches the tentacles, the arctic cyanide immediately wraps itself around the entire body of its prey and releases a poison that can paralyze. After the prey stops moving, it eats it. Paralyzing poison is produced in the tentacles along their entire length.

In turn, Arctic cyanide can also become lunch for other jellyfish, seabirds, turtles and It is worth noting that even the largest specimens do not pose a particular danger to humans. In the worst case, a rash appears in places of contact with this ocean inhabitant, which immediately goes away after using antiallergic drugs. Typically, this reaction occurs in a person with sensitive skin, and some people may sometimes not even notice anything.

Reproduction of arctic cyanide

This process is very interesting: the male releases sperm through his mouth, and they, in turn, enter the female’s oral cavity. This is where the formation of embryos takes place. After they grow up, they emerge as larvae, which attach to the substrate and turn into a single polyp. After several months of active growth, it begins to reproduce, due to which the larvae of future jellyfish appear.

It is no secret that each group of vertebrate animals (phylum, class, family, genus) has its own record holders for certain achievements. Invertebrates are not far behind them, because among them there are also those who can be envied! One of these creatures is giant jellyfish cyanea.

Giant in the sea

The hairy cyanea is the largest jellyfish in the whole world. This is a real giant of the seas and oceans. Its full name is Cuanea arctica, which translated from Latin sounds like “jellyfish.” This beautifully glowing pink-violet creature can be found in the high latitudes of the northern region. Jellyfish are common in all northern seas, flowing into the Quiet and atlantic oceans. You can see it directly near the shores, in the upper layers of the water. Researchers who studied the hairy cyanea initially looked for it in the Azov and Black Seas, but never found it.

Cyanea jellyfish. Impressive size

According to the latest oceanographic studies cited by members of the expedition of the so-called Cousteau team, the diameter of the gelatinous “body” (or dome) of cyanea can reach 2.5 m. But that’s what it’s all about! The pride of the hairy arctic jellyfish is its tentacles. The length of these processes ranges from 26 to 42 m! Scientists have come to the conclusion that the size of these jellyfish depends entirely on their living conditions. According to statistical data, it is the individuals that inhabit the coldest ocean waters that are enormous in size.

External structure

The hairy cyanea jellyfish has a fairly varied coloration of its body. Brown, purple and red tones predominate here. When a jellyfish becomes an adult, its dome (“body”) on top begins to clearly turn yellow, and its edges begin to turn red. The tentacles located at the edges of the dome are purple-pink, and the mouth lobes are red-crimson. It is because of the long tentacles that the cyanea was nicknamed the hairy (or hairy) jellyfish. The dome itself, or bell, of the Arctic cyanide has a hemispherical structure. Its edges smoothly transform into 16 blades, which, in turn, are separated from each other by specific cutouts.

Lifestyle

These creatures spend the lion's share of their numerous time in so-called free swimming - hovering on surfaces sea ​​waters, periodically contracting its gelatinous dome and flapping its outer blades. The hairy cyanide is a predator, and a very active one at that. It feeds on plankton floating in the surface layers of water, crustaceans and small fish. In especially “hungry years”, when there is literally nothing to eat, cyanea can starve for a long time. But in some cases, these creatures become cannibals, devouring their own relatives.

Members of Cousteau's team describe in their research the method of hunting that the jellyfish uses. The hairy cyanide rises to the surface of the water, spreading its long tentacles in different directions. She waits for her victim. Researchers have noticed that in this state, cyanea very much resembles. As soon as the victim swims closer to such “algae” and touches it, the jellyfish immediately wraps it around the prey, releasing it with the help of so-called poison that can paralyze. As soon as the prey stops showing signs of life, the jellyfish eats it. The venom of this gelatinous giant is quite strong and is produced along the entire length of the tentacles.

Reproduction

This creature multiplies very in an unusual way. The male releases his sperm through the oral cavity into the female's mouth. Actually, that's all. It is in the mouth of the female jellyfish that the formation of embryos occurs. When the “babies” grow up, they will emerge as larvae. These larvae, in turn, will attach to the substrate, turning into a single polyp. After a few months, the grown polyp will begin to multiply, after which the larvae of future jellyfish will appear.

Until now, the largest caught Arctic cyanide, officially registered in documents, is a creature thrown up in 1870 on the coast of the Gulf of America. The diameter of the dome of this giant was 2.3 m, and the length of the tentacles was 36.5 m. Currently, scientists know for certain It is known that there are specimens with a gelatinous body diameter of up to 2.5 m and a tentacle length of 42 m. Such jellyfish were recorded using a scientific underwater bathyscaphe as part of oceanological expeditions, but no one has yet managed to catch at least one such individual.

The cyanea jellyfish is known among divers for its painful sting. Officially, the world's largest jellyfish is considered dangerous to humans. But in fact, only one death was recorded. As a rule, such a burn leaves local redness on the person’s skin, which goes away over some time. Sometimes rashes appear on the body, accompanied by painful sensations. And all because the giant’s venom contains toxins that can cause an allergic reaction. However, if you are stung by a giant cyanea jellyfish, it is recommended that you see a doctor.