Blue jellyfish

Cyanea lamarckii, also known as the blue jellyfish or bluefire jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Cyaneidae.

Blue jellyfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Semaeostomeae
Family: Cyaneidae
Genus: Cyanea
Species:
C. lamarckii
Binomial name
Cyanea lamarckii
Péron & Lesueur, 1810

Distribution

This species is found in the pelagic zone off the west coast of Scotland, the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Irish Sea, sometimes with the more common lion's mane jellyfish, (Cyanea capillata).[1]

Description

C. lamarckii has a blue or yellow tone and grows to approximately 10 to 20 cm across, but specimens can grow to 30 cm.[2] In Scandinavian seas this species rarely grows larger than 15 cm.

This jellyfish has many stinging tentacles. The four mouth arms are large with many wrinkles and ripples.[3] The jellyfish live off a diet of phytoplankton or zooplankton as well as the eggs and larvae of other aquatic animals such as fish. [4]

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of Cyanea species is not fully agreed upon. Some zoologists have suggested that all species within the genus should be treated as one. However, Cyanea lamarckii exists with two other distinct taxa in at least the eastern North Atlantic.

The species specifier originates from the French naturalist Lamarck (Latin name form: Lamarckius).

Life cycle

The medusae bud and loosen from the mature polyps between January and March around the British Isles and southern North Sea. This occurs in a similar way to the life cycle of the moon jellyfish.

References
  1. Andy Horton. "British Jellyfish". Glaucus.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  2. "Blue jellyfish (Cyanea lamarckii):: OS grid SN6090 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland - photograph every grid square!". Geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  3. "Aquascope|Facts|Blå brännmanet". Vattenkikaren.gu.se. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  4. "Fun Facts about Jellyfish | JellyWatch". jellywatch.org. Retrieved 2019-04-01.

Further reading
  • Howson, C.M.; Picton, B.E. (Ed.) (1997). The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Ulster Museum Publication, 276. The Ulster Museum: Belfast, UK. ISBN 0-948150-06-8. vi, 508
  • Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
  • Cornelius, P.F.S. (2001). Cubozoa, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 111
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