Range: Marine waters worldwide

Habitat: Benthopelagic areas of the ocean

Size: Typically less than an inch (2.54 cm) tall

Diet: Zooplankton and other organic matter

Threats: Leatherback sea turtles, other jellyfish, nudibranchs and fish

Lifespan: Unknown

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing cosmic jellyfish. These invertebrates are classified in a family that boasts more than 30 jellyfish species. They hail from marine waters the world over, living in Arctic seas and tropical lagoons. Most species are deep sea dwelling organisms, reaching depths over 9,800 feet (3,000 m) below the ocean’s surface, although some can be observed in water less than 330 feet (100 m) deep. These animals are most commonly observed in the parts of the ocean where sunlight can not reach. Cosmic jellyfish get their common name because they look like little flying saucers when observed from the right angle, but these stinging animals have even more common names which are also helpful in describing them!

There’s still lots to learn about cosmic jellyfish. Even their species count will change as new information becomes available. Generally speaking, these cnidarians are helmet shaped, and, in fact, are sometimes known as pink helmet jellyfish for this very reason! They have eight canals running down the inside of their bell which are typically more pigmented than the bell itself. Their reproductive organs, which sometimes sport different colors than their bell, are found within these grooves. Cosmic jellyfish are small in stature, appearing less than an inch (2.54 cm) tall on average. When fully displayed, their tentacles can reach multiple times the length of their bell, which averages just slightly longer than their height for many species, although this isn’t always the case. Cosmic jellyfish are also known as psychedelic jellyfish for their colorful displays. These invertebrates come in a variety of colors often depending on the species. Some are black with creamy insides, others are purple, some are even iridescent and bioluminescent– they glow! Many are red or pink and are sometimes referred to as “little red jellies” for this reason. Often, they’re also see-through.

Cosmic jellyfish stand apart from other jellyfish because they do not go through a sessile, asexual stage. Instead, adult cosmic jellyfish mothers brood their young inside their bell, and the babies fully develop until they’re large enough to leave as fully-formed juvenile medusas. This means that cosmic jellyfish are always free-floating in the water column. How these jellyfish reproduce is not fully understood, however the mothers are observed year round in most parts of their range, so they likely do not have a specific breeding season. The mothers can also have multiple babies developing inside their bell at different stages. The young are released once they reach 6 millimeters in length, and they’re born with tentacles already formed! In fact, it’s possible that cosmic jellyfish juveniles are even able to catch floating prey while still brooding inside the mother’s bell.

Cosmic jellyfish have two rows of anywhere from a few hundred to 2,000 tentacles depending on the species. These come equipped with stinging cells that can immobilize prey floating in the water column. Often the jellyfish swim upwards and then spread their tentacles wide to catch anything that passes by as they float back down. They eat small creatures such as copepods and crustaceans as well as algae and other organic debris. In turn, cosmic jellyfish are eaten by leatherback sea turtles, larger jellyfish, sea slugs, and some bottom dwelling fish. When threatened, the jellyfish can flash their light to startle a predator, or drop some of their tentacles to escape.

For more facts on cosmic jellyfish, check out the links below. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today. Thank you to our Patrons SpikeSpiegel93, Dad, and everyone else for their support of this channel! And thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!