Range: Indo-Pacific Oceans; Introduced to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and Hawaii Habitat: Lagoons, bays, the top of the water column in shallow, coastal water, and more Size: About 4 inches - 2 feet (10-60cm) in diameter Diet: Plankton, detritus, tiny invertebrates, fish, and crustaceans Threats: Sea turtles and more Life span: About six months

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about spotted jellyfish. We have a spot of fun here, be sure to subscribe! Thank you to puppykingdom videos for today’s request! Jellyfish in general are understudied, and their classification needs work; this certainly applies to today’s subjects. We could talk about the spotted jellyfish living in large groups in marine lakes, or we could talk about the spotted jellyfish invading various oceans, but today, just for the heck of it, we’ll talk about both. Of course, there are other jellyfish species that are part of the spotted jellyfish family, but these are the two most well known.

The spotted jellyfish invading oceans around the world are also called white spotted jellyfish, and the spotted jellyfish who are most well known for their lake loving attitude are often referred to as lagoon jellyfish - which kind of makes sense. Both white spotted jellyfish and lagoon jellyfish enjoy spending their time towards the top of the water column in shallow, coastal waters. Bays and lagoons are especially favorite habitats for both species.

Lagoon jellyfish can be found throughout the Indian and western Pacific oceans, though they’re most diverse in marine lakes such as those found throughout Palau. Originally white spotted jellyfish hailed from Indo-Pacific waters, as well, especially those surrounding Australia, but at this point they’ve invaded the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and waters surrounding Hawaii. It’s believed that white spotted jellyfish managed to make it to other oceans by hiding out in the ballast of ships, and they could be causing a problem thanks to their dietary habitats.

White spotted jellyfish and lagoon jellyfish have different systems of eating. Lagoon jellyfish live in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae just like the giant clams we’ve previously discussed. They’ll also collect free-floating food in the form of plankton, detritus, and tiny invertebrates along their oral arms, though most of their energy comes from their ties with the zooxanthellae.

Conversely, white spotted jellyfish don’t always have these algae helpers and are left to find food on their own. They eat the same kind of food lagoon jellyfish eat, but they do so in larger quantity if they don’t have zooxanthellae. This is why they’re a threat to the habitats they’ve invaded. White spotted jellyfish may eat fish and crustacean larvae and impact populations of these native animals.

Though spotted jellyfish in general average about four inches (10 centimeters) across their bell, invasive populations of white spotted jellyfish have been known to reach more than two feet (60 centimeters) across their bells. Thankfully, however, spotted jellyfish are generally considered relatively harmless to humans.

Both these jellyfish species reproduce the same way most jellyfish species do. A free floating adult jellyfish is called a medusa; in spotted jellyfish the adults are separated into different sexes. After fertilization, spotted jellyfish eggs will hatch within a few days and the larvae will find a place to settle on the ocean floor as polyps. From there, they’ll create clones of themselves through budding which may either be free floating and create more polyps or stack up and eventually create more adult jellyfish. Though this process seems super complicated, at the end of it all, adult spotted jellyfish are believed to live less than half a year!

For more facts on spotted jellyfish, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.