Current:Home > MyRobert Brown|What do jellyfish eat? Understanding the gelatinous sea creature's habits. -TradeCircle
Robert Brown|What do jellyfish eat? Understanding the gelatinous sea creature's habits.
Poinbank Exchange View
Date:2025-04-08 08:01:09
Even before dinosaurs,Robert Brown jellyfish were on Earth – and in its seas and oceans – for millennia, according to National Geographic. The gelatinous creature's body is comprised of more than 95% water, the Monterey Bay Aquarium reports.
There are over 200 species of "true jellyfish" and each has its own unique habitat. But what about the jellies' eating habits? What do they enjoy for a snack?
Whether it's a boxfish jellyfish or a moon jelly, here is what's on the menu.
What do jellyfish eat?
Jellyfish are carnivores, so their diet mainly consists of other animals. This includes zooplankton, small crustaceans, small fish and other jellyfish, according to Oceana, an ocean conservation nonprofit. Jellyfish will also consume plants, National Geographic reports.
Some species' mouths are located on the underside of their bell-shaped bodies. This cavity serves the dual-purpose of being a mouth and an anus, according to Oceana. Other jellies have no mouth. Alternatively, they ingest food via openings on their oral arms, the American Museum of Natural History reports.
Jellyfish digest their meals very quickly. If they did not, the sea animal would not be able to float properly, according to National Geographic.
Do jellyfish feel pain?
Jellyfish do not have organs or bones and only have a "basic network of neurons," according to Ocean Conservancy, an environmental non-profit.
As a result, the animals don't feel pain in the same way humans do.
What is the lifespan of the jellyfish?
Jellyfish do not live long. Most species of medusa (or adult) jellyfish live for a few months in the wild, according to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. In captivity, they can live for around two to three years.
In its polyp form, jellyfish can live and reproduce asexually for long periods of time, even for decades, Smithsonian reports.
One species, however, has gained the title of "immortal." Turritopsis dohrnii, often called the "immortal jellyfish," will undergo a process called "transdifferentiation" in response to physical damage or starvation. During this, a medusa jellyfish will revert back to its polyp stage, according to American Museum of Natural History.
Just Curious for more? We've got you covered
USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "Do sharks have bones?" to "Where do polar bears live?" to "How long do orcas live?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.
veryGood! (84583)
Related
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Prepare to catch'em all at Pokémon GO's enormous event in Las Vegas
- Israel strikes on Gaza kill 25 people including children, Palestinians say, as rocket-fire continues
- 'Company of Heroes 3' deserves a spot in any war game fan's library
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- EVs are expensive. These city commuters ditched cars altogether — for e-bikes
- Sophia Culpo and NFL Player Braxton Berrios Break Up After 2 Years of Dating
- Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia can't come soon enough for civilians dodging Putin's bombs
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Iris Apatow Praises Dreamboat Boyfriend Henry Haber in Birthday Tribute
Ranking
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- What we lose if Black Twitter disappears
- Christina Ricci Reveals How Hard It Was Filming Yellowjackets Season 2 With a Newborn
- Making the treacherous journey north through the Darién Gap
- What do we know about the mysterious drones reported flying over New Jersey?
- Tech Layoffs Throw Immigrants' Lives Into Limbo
- Princess Diana's Niece Lady Amelia Spencer Marries Greg Mallett in Fairytale South Africa Wedding
- Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix Joins Scheana Shay and Lala Kent for Relaxing Outing Before Reunion
Recommendation
North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
Delilah Belle Hamlin Wants Jason Momoa to Slide Into Her DMs
Cheers Your Pumptini to Our Vanderpump Rules Gift Guide
See the Vanderpump Rules Cast Arrive to Season 10 Reunion Amid Scandoval
The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
Drew Barrymore Shares Her Under $25 Beauty Must-Haves That Make Every Day Pretty
Katy Perry Gets Called Out By American Idol Contestant For Mom Shaming
Wind energy powered the U.K. more than gas this year for the first time ever