If you go near a big water reservoir you will surely notice that there are a lot of jelly-like creatures along the coast and in the water. They are called jellyfishes and are the creatures that inhabit all the oceans. But behind their beauty and attractiveness lies a danger to the health of people. Of course you can’t expect all of the jellyfishes to be dangerous, but many of them have a poisonous sting which can cause harm. But most of them are safe. One of the biggest jellyfishes known to men is the Lion’s mane jellyfish that inhabits the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans. The greatest Lion’s mane jellyfish found had a 2.3m cap diameter and tentacles that were 36.5 long.
Don’t be misled by their big size. Although they may be big their sting isn’t a mortal threat to humans, because there isn’t a report in which someone has died because due to Lion’s mane jellyfish sting. However if you get hurt by one make sure to seek medical help as soon as possible. The sting will cause severe pain and the stung place will turn red.
Of course meaning that the largest specimen found had a body of 2.5m diameter doesn’t mean that all of the Lion’s mane jellyfishes are so huge. Those who live in the northern parts of the Earth globe usually are the biggest and can reach some big measures, but most of the kinds who inhabit the not so far away to the north seas and oceans usually reach to 50-60cm in body diameter and the tentacles of the larger ones usually reach up to 30m. in length. The Lion’s mane jellyfish has very sticky tentacles which are grouped into eight clusters and each of those clusters contains more than 100 tentacles which are set in rows.
Although most of you think that the Blue whale is the biggest animal or earth the Lion’s mane jellyfish is actually longer than it. With the largest specimen set at 36.5m length it easily beats the Blue whale. The bodies of the Lion’s mane jellyfish are shaped like a star with eight points. Lion’s mane jellyfishes change their color depending on their age. For instance the old ones are usually dark purple while the younger ones have a light orange – dark yellow color. The food that the Lion’s mane jellyfish devours is mainly small fish, plankton and other jellyfishes. Because of its huge size it is considered as prey to many sea inhabitants like larger fishes, sea turtles and other jellyfishes.
The Lion’s mane jellyfish specimens mostly spend their time near the top of the surface of seas and oceans and rarely submerge under 20m of depth. Due to their big size they don’t rely on their body pulsations for movement, but instead count on wind and water currents to move them around. The time when you have the biggest chance to see a Lion’s mane jellyfish is in the beginning of the autumn and the last days of summer when the strong winds and water currents carry their flocks near the coastal line.
Do you want to learn more about the lion’s mane jellyfish? Be sure to check out JellyfishFacts.Net for more information on Jellyfish. Don’t miss the jellyfish stings section either!
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