Spotted jelly

Mastigias papua · A spotted, algae-farming jellyfish of lagoons in the western Pacific, famous from Palau's Jellyfish Lake.

Also called Lagoon jelly, Golden medusa, Papuan jellyfish, Spotted jellyfish.

Spotted jelly
Photo: Daderot, CC0
Spotted jelly
Photo: Adrian (User:Intandem) at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Spotted jelly
Photo: Will Fisher from Richmond, VA, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCnidaria
ClassScyphozoa
OrderRhizostomeae
FamilyMastigiidae
GenusMastigias
SpeciesMastigias papua

Where it lives

Sheltered bays of the western Pacific, including the marine lakes of Palau.

Fun facts

  • It hosts algae in its tissues that provide much of its food through photosynthesis.
  • In Palau's Jellyfish Lake, huge numbers of an isolated golden form migrate across the lake daily, following the sun.
  • Its sting is so mild that snorkellers can swim among them safely.
  • Instead of one central mouth, it feeds through many tiny mouths on its frilly oral arms.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).