Big jellyfish. The largest jellyfish in the world. What else to see

1st place.

Hairy cyanea , aka Arctic cyanea. Lives in cold waters. It is thanks to this circumstance that it can grow to gigantic sizes. Almost two centuries ago, the largest specimen of this jellyfish was caught. The diameter of the dome was 2.3 meters, and the tentacles were 37 meters long. Large jellyfish are colored purple, and smaller ones - in beige or orange. Why do they grow to such sizes? Because, drifting in cold waters, their puberty occurs much later than that of jellyfish living in southern latitudes.

2nd place.

Giant jellyfish Bell of Nomura , aka " Lion's mane" In diameter, the dome can reach two meters, and the similarity with a lion contributed to the fact that this jellyfish has another name. Favorite place habitat - Far East, coastal zone of China, Japan and Korea. It causes damage to fishermen when it gets caught in their nets, from which it is very difficult to extract jellyfish. It leaves a burn on the human body.

3rd place.

Cornerot. Very large jellyfish. Sometimes, the diameter of their dome reaches two meters, but such an anomaly is extremely rare. Different from other jellyfish complete absence tentacles Instead, nature awarded the cornet with oral lobes with processes.

4th place.

Ropilema. Reaches a diameter of one and a half meters. Usually lives in the Sea of ​​Japan and the Yellow Sea, but has a tendency to migrate. Most recently it was spotted in the coastal zone of the Primorsky Territory. The optimal size is half a meter in diameter.

5th place.

Sea nettle. The diameter of the umbrella can reach one meter, and the length of the tentacles can be six meters. Causes severe burns on the body and can lead to complete cardiac arrest. Very often, a person develops heart failure due to a burn. This jellyfish lives exclusively in tropical seas.

6th place.

Purple striped jellyfish . Very beautiful and very dangerous. Distributed in Monterrey Bay. Has stripes on the umbrella. It is she who causes a lot of inconvenience to all those who had the imprudence to meet her. The diameter of its umbrella reaches 0.7 m, and according to the stories of sailors, this is not the maximum value.

7th place.

sea ​​wasp . It's not only enough large jellyfish(the diameter can reach half a meter, and the length of the tentacles can reach five meters.), but it is also a very poisonous animal. When a large area of ​​a person’s skin is affected by poison, he dies. That is, you won’t be able to get away with a simple burn. Paralysis of the heart muscle occurs, and the person dies within a few minutes.

8th place.

Portuguese man-of-war. Externally, it really resembles a sailboat. It has a relatively small umbrella size, from 20 cm and more. Its dimensions cannot exceed half a meter. But the tentacles can be up to 10 m long. It lives in tropical waters Atlantic, southern Japan and Hawaii. The poison is not fatal to humans, but can cause burns and short-term loss of consciousness.

9th place.

Mediterranean jellyfish . The diameter of its umbrella can reach 35 cm. An incredibly beautiful and not quite ordinary jellyfish. The fact is that it does not drift on the waves, but can swim on its own. It can be seen in the Adriatic, in the Aegean Sea and, of course, in the Mediterranean.

10th place.

Long-eared aurelia. Lives in all warm seas. The diameter of the umbrella can reach 0.4 m. For example, in the Black Sea, before the season of autumn storms, Aurelias begin to take care of their offspring: small lumps of jellyfish tissue settle on the seabed, and in the spring, a small disk separates from them, which over the summer turns into an adult.

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

Top 10 most large 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

(Nocturnal jellyfish) 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. Besides 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. Portuguese man-of-war It is easy to notice from afar, thanks to its bright and beautiful coloring, so meeting it while swimming can be avoided.

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. Feeds this type mainly 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. Dome sea ​​wasp is 45 centimeters and is equipped with 60 tentacles, which when hunting prey can reach more than 3 meters. The sea animal has 24 eyes. It instantly stings a passing object in several places at once. Death from bites poisonous jellyfish 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. The umbrella of the cornet is a “haven” for small fish that hide 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 species 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. Chryasora is one of the most beautiful representatives of its species, so 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 largest species jellyfish that live 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:

Arctic Cyanea (Cyanea capillata) is the largest jellyfish in the world. Its giant dome can reach a diameter of 2 meters, and its thin translucent tentacles grow up to 20 meters in length.

The body of cyanea can have a wide variety of colors, but brown and red individuals are usually found. In adult jellyfish, the top of the dome may be yellow and its edging red. The mouth lobes are usually colored bright crimson, which signals danger to other animals. The younger the jellyfish, the brighter its color.

Arctic Cyanea grows and develops according to life cycle all jellyfish. Her life is divided into two main stages: medusoid and polypoid. From birth, the jellyfish is a larva that floats freely in the water for several days. It then attaches to the substrate and becomes a polyp. In this state, the jellyfish actively feeds and rapidly increases in size. After some time, transparent stars - larvae - bud from the polyp, which in the future transform into jellyfish.

The habitat halos of these jellyfish cover everything northern seas Pacific and Atlantic oceans, where they swim freely and leisurely near the surface of the water. They move very impressively, making rare swings of the edge blades and contracting the dome.

We must not forget that these huge jellyfish are predators, so their long tentacles are always ready to attack and hunt. They form a dense network directly under the dome of the jellyfish and secrete a powerful poison that instantly kills small prey and paralyzes large animals. Almost all types of marine animals are targeted by cyanide: from plankton to fish and other jellyfish.

For a person, an encounter with Arctic cyanide will not bring serious trouble. People prone to allergies or those with sensitive skin will develop a small rash, and stronger people will not notice any discomfort at all.

Jellyfish reproduce in this way: males release sperm into the water through their mouths, which penetrate into special cavities inside the female’s mouth. The embryos of future jellyfish are formed there, where they remain until they reach the age of entering open water. Once outside, the larvae begin the medusoid stage of their lives.

Arctic cyanea prefer to live in upper layers water and rarely sink to the very bottom. By their nature they are active predators, which feed mainly on plankton, small fish and crustaceans. With a lack of the listed animals, cyanea begins to eat its relatives - jellyfish different types, including representatives of their own species. During the hunt, the cyanea rises almost to the surface of the water and spreads its long tentacles to the sides. In this position, the jellyfish looks more like a cluster of algae. When a prey swims between the tentacles and accidentally touches them, the cyanea wraps itself around the body of the prey and paralyzes it with poison, which is produced in numerous stinging cells located along the entire length of the tentacles. As soon as the prey stops moving, the cyanea pushes it towards the mouth opening with its tentacles and then with its oral lobes.

Arctic cyanea, or Cyanea capillata, has become a popular species, appearing in literary works, especially in 'The Adventures of the Lion's Mane' about Sherlock Holmes. However, Arctic cyanea is actually not as dangerous as it is portrayed in popular culture. The sting of this jellyfish is simply incapable of causing deaths in humans. Although the rash can be painful for sensitive people, and the toxins in the venom can cause an allergic reaction.

One specimen of Arctic Cyanea, which was found in Massachusetts Bay in 1870, was more than 7 feet in diameter, and its tentacles were longer than 120 feet. However, the Arctic Cyanea bell is known to be able to grow up to 8 feet in diameter, and its tentacles can reach a length of 150 feet. This creature is much longer than the blue whale, which is generally thought to be the largest animal in the world. This species of jellyfish is very variable in size. While the largest individuals are found in the most northern waters Northern Arctic Ocean, the size of the jellyfish decreases as you travel south. The color of this variety of jellyfish also depends on its size.

The largest specimens of jellyfish were dark red in color. As the size decreases, the color becomes lighter until it becomes light orange or Brown. The jellyfish bell is divided into eight petals. Each petal has a group of 60 to 130 tentacles at the edge of its jelly-like body. The Arctic cyanide also has many oral lobes near the mouth to facilitate the transport of food to the jellyfish's mouth. Like most jellyfish, the Arctic Cyanea is carnivorous, feeding on zooplankton, small fish, and ctenophores, and is also a cannibal, feeding on other jellyfish. Predators that pose a danger to this jellyfish are seabirds, big fish, other species of jellyfish and sea turtles.

I think, after reading the details, you realized that the photo above or the photo, for example, the photo at the beginning of the post is still just a convenient angle (or photoshop) and such huge jellyfish, of course, do not exist.

source Jacob delafon

Arctic cyanea is the largest jellyfish in the world. It is also called hairy cyanea and lion's mane. The length of the tentacles of the Arctic cyanide reaches 37 meters, making it the longest animal on the planet. At the same time, the diameter of the dome of this “jellyfish” is 2.5 meters, and the bright colors of the body make it the undisputed queen of the deep sea.

If you pay attention to Latin name arctic cyanea, then the first word - Cyanos - translated means “blue”, and the second - capillus - hair or thin process, that is, the Latin name translated means that in front of you is a “blue-haired” jellyfish. It is also interesting that, according to the biological “price list,” Arctic cyanea belongs to the scyphoid jellyfish of the order Discomedusae.

Still, there are several types of cyanides in the world. Although their exact number has not yet been determined, at present they distinguish not only Arctic cyanea, but also blue cyanea (Suapea lamarckii), as well as Japanese cyanea (Suapea capillata nozakii), which are significantly inferior in size to the giant “lion’s mane” .

According to experts, the diameter of the Atlantic cyanide reaches 2.5 meters. And if you compare this type of cyanium with blue whale, which is often cited as an example when determining the longest animal, the blue whale can reach a length of 30 meters (with a weight of 180 tons), and the Arctic cyanide grows up to 37 meters, which allows it to be the longest animal on our planet.

Arctic cyanide lives in cold and moderately cold waters. It can be found off the coast of Australia, but most of all it prefers the northern seas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Besides, in open waters She also feels great in the Arctic seas. The proof of this is that in northern latitudes it reaches its most record-breaking sizes. But in warm seas arctic cyanide does not take root, and if it makes its way into softer climatic zones, then it grows no more than 1.5 meters in diameter.

There is a known case when a huge arctic cyanide washed up on the shore of Massachusetts Bay, on the North Atlantic coast of the United States, in 1865, which with all its tentacles was 37 meters long, and the diameter of its dome was 2.29 meters. This is the largest jellyfish, the size of which is documented.

The body of the Arctic cyanide is distinguished by its varied coloring, in which red and brown tones predominate. Adults are usually colored like this: top part their dome is yellowish, and its edges are pink-red. At the same time, it looks very beautiful that the oral lobes against this background have a crimson-red color, and the marginal tentacles are decorated in pink to purple shades. In addition, it is believed that young cyanias have a brighter color.

Arctic cyanides have many very sticky tentacles, which are grouped into eight groups of 65 to 150 tentacles arranged in a row. The dome of such a beauty is also divided into eight parts, which gives the jellyfish the appearance of an eight-pointed star.

And since arctic cyanides can be both female and male, the process of having children is very interesting. So, during fertilization, males seem to “kiss” females from a distance, that is, they throw sperm from their mouths into the water, which fall into the females’ oral lobes, where there are special brood chambers in which fertilization and development of eggs occurs.

Over time, planula larvae emerge from the brood chambers and swim in the water for several days. Then each of them attaches to the substrate and transforms into a single polyp, which, in turn, also begins to actively feed and increase in size. Uniquely, it can reproduce asexually by budding off other scyphists.

With the onset of the warm season, the mechanism of transverse division of the scyphistoma is triggered, which leads to the formation of a jellyfish larva. At that time, small “jellyfish” look like stars from clear glass having eight rays. So far they have neither marginal tentacles nor oral lobes. Such stars swim in the water, and by mid-summer they gradually become more and more like real jellyfish.

The main activity of arctic cyanides is leisurely soaring in the surface layer of water, where they periodically contract their canopy and make spectacular flapping movements with their edge blades. At the same time, the tentacles of the jellyfish are extended to their full length and form a dense practical trapping network.

All cyanides are predators. With the help of their long and numerous tentacles, they catch prey, and they are helped by a strong poison, which almost immediately kills small animals and causes significant harm to larger individuals. This poison is found in the stinging cells with which the tentacles of the jellyfish are densely packed. Such poison is shot into the body of the victims, which the arctic cyanide then absorbs.

Huge jellyfish prey on various plankton, including smaller jellyfish and small fish. Arctic cyanea is also dangerous for humans, although its poison is not considered fatal to humans. However, cases of human death from such a jellyfish have still been recorded. But most often death occurs from a severe allergic reaction. In other cases, at the site of contact, a person experiences slight redness or a burn, which goes away over time.

The marine environment is fundamentally different from ours. This world is fraught with many creatures that go beyond the ideas of ordinary things. Take, for example, a jellyfish... This oldest species has existed on the planet for more than 600 million years, and some specimens have learned to grow to incredible sizes.

Hairy cyanea

The largest jellyfish in the world is the hairy cyanide. Found throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, but the largest specimens are found in the Arctic. The reason for this is the lack of food in cold water, which leads to late puberty and, accordingly, gigantism of the individual.

Many people have seen this photo on the Internet. It certainly depicts a cyanea, but the ratio of a person and a jellyfish is corrected here with Photoshop. The most huge jellyfish in the world was washed up on the shores of Massachusetts Bay in 1870. Its length was 36.5 meters, and the diameter of the bell was 2.3 meters.

In this regard, cyanea rightfully bears the title “the most long jellyfish in the world" and is considered the longest animal on the planet, since its main competitor is blue whale reaches only 33 meters.

What else is it called

Its other names are arctic cyanea or lion's mane. This is a disc jellyfish (octagonal in shape), opaque. Translated from Latin, its name means “blue hairy jellyfish,” although in adulthood it is more colorful - brown, red and yellowish tones predominate in it. But young cyanea is usually orange.

Common specimens have a diameter of about 2 meters and a length of tentacles of about 20. The body of the jellyfish is an inverted bell with blades. Tentacles emerge from its inner part, of which the cyanea has a lot - at each corner of the dome, up to 150 pieces are arranged in a row, which do not retract inward, but are always ready to bite into the victim. In the center there is a mouth, which is also an excretory opening. And jellyfish move in a reactive manner.

Habitats

Cyanea lives in surface waters at depths up to 20 meters. This is a predator that uses its tentacles as catcher net, where at the ends of the stinging cells a rather strong poison awaits the victim. For small fish it is fatal, but for larger animals it leaves greater damage.

In humans, the largest jellyfish in the world's oceans can cause allergies and burns, but not death. The story “The Lion's Mane” by Conan Doyle, where two people die when they touch it, is a work of fiction.

And besides, it’s rare that a diver will swim in the Arctic without a wetsuit to protect him from the cold. It is interesting that when it gets to more southern latitudes, cyanea will never grow more than half a meter. When meeting her in warm waters Without protective equipment, it is enough for a person to wipe the contact area with vinegar.

The life cycle of this jellyfish is quite unique. It consists of polypoid (attached to the bottom) and medusoid types.

Reproduction of jellyfish

Males spit out mature sperm through their mouths into the sea, where they enter the females’ mouth lobes. After a few days, the larva degenerates into a polyp, which first attaches itself to stones or plants. It will grow, feed and may even reproduce by budding ( asexually). And in the spring, the transformation is completed by the jellyfish larva, which is sent to free swimming a small octagonal star.

Jellyfish hunt in groups - this makes it easier for them to surround plankton or a school of fish. Cannibalism is common among this type of jellyfish - on occasion, a large jellyfish can swallow a smaller relative. Natural enemies cyanides - turtles, birds and large fish they will never miss such a tasty piece of prey.

You can learn even more about jellyfish from the video below the article. Be sure to look at this majestic beauty...