Up Close & Peculiar With African Fantasy Coffins, Would you get buried in a giant shoe?
From Nation, For Nation - Pulse of the Nation
Meet Carmen Getsum: The Sword Swallower Who Lights Up the Stage...
The Diverse World of Sea Jellies
Jellyfish.
Well, they’re not fish-that much is for certain! Jellyfish, or addressed by the more accurate term, sea jellies, are invertebrate marine animals. As a free-swimming species, sea jellies rely on the ocean’s current to travel throughout the deep waters of the world. Therefore, they are classified as a large form of zooplankton since they are unable to drive themselves against the tides.
Ancient Animals
As ancient animals, jellies have drifted through the ocean for around 500 million years, making them older than dinosaurs!
They are closely related to other animals, such as corals and sea anemones, as they all belong to the phylum Cnidaria.
Jellies themselves belong to the subphylum Medusazoa. This is then divided into four different classes: scyphozoa (the “true jellies”), hydrozoa (the look-alike jellies), cubozoan (cube- or box-shaped jellies), and staurozoan (stalked jellies that attach to surfaces).
Let’s dive deeper into the diversity of sea jellies and see how one of the stars of Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, the moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) compares.
The Anatomy of a Sea Jelly
The external anatomy of a sea jelly is divided into three major parts. The umbrella-shaped body is known as the bell, which contains internal organs such as the gonads (sex cells).
The frilly or veil-like structures are oral arms, which function to either guide food into the jelly’s mouth or ingest the food directly. Finally, the most well-known part of a jelly is their trailing tentacles, with which they can sting!
Jaw-Dropping Jellies
Sea jellies are widely known and appreciated for their enchanting, diverse beauty. Upon their bells, a range of decorative patterns such as stripes, speckles, and spots can be present. Even simple designs, as showcased by moon jellies, are still stunning to the eye.
The tentacles of a jelly are no exception to aesthetics either, take the stylish flower hat jelly which appears as if they have pink buds hanging down off of them. Even the insides of sea jellies can be colourful, like the gonadal tissue of the very appropriately named fried-egg jelly which looks like, you guessed it, an actual fried egg!
Like us, sea jellies can come in all shapes and sizes. The biggest is the lion’s mane jelly, with an average size of 40 centimeters. The largest known specimen, however, stretches to 36.5 meters from the top of the bell to the bottom of their tentacles!
On the other end of the scale, the smallest jelly is the Irukandji box jellyfish, which can reach around 2 centimeters. Moon jellies sit in the middle of our range at roughly 20 centimeters but can sometimes reach 46 centimeters in diameter.
So now that we’ve looked at the appearance of sea jellies, let’s be less shallow (get it?) and peek at what’s inside of them!
Taking A Peek Inside
The body of a sea jelly is made of two main cellular layers, the gastrodermis and the epidermis. Their middle, known as the mesoglea, is a gelatinous material that composes the majority of their body. Since sea jellies are 95% water, the mesoglea is mostly made up of this too!
However, none of the internal anatomy contains any body parts we view as vital; jellies do not have bones, muscles, blood, hearts, or lungs.
Instead, they are able to absorb oxygen and nutrients through their bell via the gastrodermis. As well, they are literally “no brainers,” thanks to their epidermis, they are able to sense and react to the world around them.
In addition, their nerve network has small organs called statocysts, which allow the jellies to balance and orient themselves. They are also able to detect light, chemicals, and movement with their sensory structures on the edge of their bells known as rhopalia.
The Shocking Stinger
Of course, the most amazing and well-recognized ability of a sea jelly is their skill of stinging.
Found on their tentacles, the cnidocyte (or nematocyte) is a specialized cell that contains nematocysts (or cnidocysts), the structures responsible for delivering the sting.
For sea jelly prey, this sting means paralysis. For humans, effects can vary from mild to lethal; whereas moon jellies do not administer a strong sting, the impact from a box jelly sting is known to cause cardiac arrest or worse, a journey to a watery grave.
However, our animal care team at the aquarium still wear protection when attending our moon jellies, despite the minimal effects of their sting.
An Indicator Species?
Sea jellies are a type of indicator species, meaning their presence can signal how the conditions of an environment are doing. A sudden flood of a sea jelly population, called a “bloom,” can signal an imbalance within the ocean ecosystem such as changes in species amount, oxygen levels, and water temperatures.
Increased sea temperature levels from climate change also affects sea jellies, as they flourish in warmer waters and this raises the possibility of overpopulation or even being stung while swimming in the ocean.
How You Can Help Perserve Jellies
Although all these causes may seem distant and uncontrollable to us, helping aquatic animals is more possible than you may think!
Taking small but considered actions is a great way to be a champion for conservation. For example, purchase sustainable seafood (or even reduce your seafood intake) to combat overfishing, turn off appliances to save energy and fight climate change, and share your knowledge so others can lend a helping hand, or fin, to our ocean life.
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From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet
See all the weirdness Copenhagen has to offer!
Copenhagen is considered one of the world’s most liveable cities, but beneath its colorful canals and amazing history lies a side that's wonderfully weird. From icy swims to record-breaking quirks, Denmark’s capital is full of unexpected stories that prove this city is anything but ordinary.
Here are five weird facts about Copenhagen... plus one strange stop you won’t want to miss while you’re there.
1. Half the City Commutes by Bike... All Year Long
Copenhagen takes cycling very seriously. Around 50% of residents commute by bicycle every day, rain, wind, or snow. The city even has over 400 kilometers of bike lanes, plus dedicated cycle bridges over canals.
This bike-first lifestyle is a part of Copenhagen’s identity and commitment to sustainability.
2. You Can Swim in the Middle of the City
Thanks to a massive cleanup effort, the city’s harbor is so clean that locals swim right downtown. In fact, Copenhagen has been named one of the best cities in the world for urban swimming, with harbor baths and beaches just minutes from the city center.
Even more wild? Mussels live and grow in the harbor, proving just how clean the water really is.
3. Two of the Oldest Amusement Parks on Earth Are Here
Copenhagen is home to two historic amusement parks:
Tivoli Gardens is the second-oldest amusement park in the world and famously inspired Walt Disney.
Bakken, just north of the city, holds the title of the oldest operating amusement park anywhere.
4. Ice-Cold Swimming Is a Winter Hobby
Thousands of locals take part in winter bathing, plunging into icy waters during the coldest months of the year.
With over 29,000 registered winter swimmers, it's more than just a cold dip; it's a chilly tradition!
5. The City Loves the Strange
Copenhagen has a deep appreciation for the unusual, the curious, and the downright bizarre. From self-governing neighborhoods to ice swims and amazing amusement park history, the city embraces the idea that truth can be stranger than fiction.
Which brings us to one of Copenhagen’s most unforgettable attractions…
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