MOON JELLYFISH

By Al Fox...

CONTENTSIntroduction Page 3 History Page 12

Appearance Page 4 Facts and Images Page 13

Family Page 5 Conclusion Page 14

Habitat Page 6 Bibliography Page 15

Diet Page 7 Glossary Page 16

Predators and Prey Page 8 Index Page 17

Reproduction Page 9

Species Page 10

Size and Body Parts Page 11

INTRODUCTION Welcome to the fascinating seas of the Moon Jellyfish. Moon

Jellyfish have a breathtaking

past so what are you waiting

for!!! Put on your diving suits and lets enjoy the adventure.

But there is one more condition.

They can sting so be careful!!!

AppearanceMoon Jellyfish are small but can be

larger. Adult Moon Jellies they typically hold a size of 25cm to

40cm [across]. On its inner stomach it has 4 bright gonads shaped like

horseshoes. Swimming and feeding is controlled by a nerve inside the

jellyfish. The lower bit of the medusas comforted with tentacles which are used for catching prey.

FAMILYThe Moon Jellyfish have heaps of family. Moon Jellyfish eggs are basically fertilised when the female finds floating strands of sperm. When the female releases her blooming jellyfish eggs into the open, they transform into a larval form known as a planula.

HABITATMoon Jellyfish live in many places. They live in the Atlantic ocean, Pacific ocean, Indian ocean where they are only found near the coast. Their habitat may seem quite big but it is small compared to other types of sea animals.

Moon Jellyfish can live in other parts of the ocean, such as Fiji in the tropical waters just off the coast. Jellyfish generally live in salt water but they can live in fresh water habitats. Moon Jellyfish can be seen for a far north 70 degrees latitude and as far south as 40 degrees celsius. Moon Jellyfish are usually found near the shore of abandoned islands in the Atlantic ocean in some abandoned harbours and estuaries.

Diet

Moon Jellyfish have heaps of snacks throughout their diet. These are molluscs, squid and clams] crustaceans, [shrimp and barnacles] small medusa and eggs from fish. [like angelfish and salmon] larvae, plankton and shrimp are also some of there diet. Moon Jellyfish may not eat as much as expected but it eats on different things when its food isn’t around. They can’t eat heaps of underwater creatures, otherwise the jellyfish all eat too much and die.

Predators and prey.

Heaps of creatures like to eat Moon Jellyfish. It’s ok if the leatherback sea turtle eats the Moon Jellyfish. But seriously, Chinese and Korean eat the fascinating Moon Jellyfish!!! The ocean sunfish eats Moon Jellyfish but so do some sea birds. Moon Jellyfish will soon become extinct animal and will no longer be in our oceans.

Reproduction.Moon Jellyfish have a long reproducing time. Reproduction is a huge part of Moon Jellyfish. So read along and here are the steps

1. A small larvae [egg] floats around in the sea.

2. The small egg looks around for a place to attach itself.

3. Once the egg has attached itself to something the egg feeds on passing food.

4. At the moment the coral polyps mouth tentacles are facing upwards.

5. Grooves appear and become shorter, eventually cutting the polyps body.

6. A pile of donut shaped statues alarm and then break away. Each becoming a baby jellyfish. [It happens with any kind of jellyfish.

At the moment the baby jellyfish is called a medusa and the jellyfish form we now notice in our oceans.

speciesThere are lots of types of jellyfish. The other species of jellyfish are; Vampire jellyfish, Crab carrying jellyfish, Blue jellyfish, Blue bottle jellyfish, Purple jellyfish, Mushroom jellyfish, Flower hat jellyfish and Peach blossom jellyfish.

A few jellyfish can be a tiny bit terrifying. A whole mine of jellyfish is quite furious when it sees a human. All kinds of jellyfish spend their harmless typical day all the same. Jellyfish use 90% of their tropical day just floating. 9% of their day absorbing food. The last 1% of their day being gatecrashers and ruining a perfectly good day at the beach.

SIZE AND BODY PARTSMoon Jellyfish are small compared to other jellyfish. In Linnaeus, 1758 Moon Jellyfish and common sea jellies were 5cm long to 40cm long. Did you know that Moon Jellyfish are basically the length of an A4 piece of paper in diameter. Adult Moon Jellies are a bigger size of 25cm to 40cm also in diameter. The Moon Jellyfish body parts such as the subumbrellar nerve net and the tentacles.

HISTORYMoon Jellyfish have a lovely history. The fascinating, breathtaking, beautiful Moon Jellyfish has been around longer than many things including the dinosaurs, cave-men and some sea creatures. If you are wondering dinosaurs and cave-men become extinct for over 1,000,000 years. [1 million years ago!!!!!]

FACTSThese facts might be useful for you.

The Moon Jellyfish have been around longer than the dinosaurs.

Moon Jellyfish can grow up to 15 inches in diameter.

Predators of the Moon Jellyfish are sea turtles, other types of Jellyfish and some fish.

Adult Moon Jellyfish live 3 to 6 months as for polyps can live for several years.

Moon Jellyfish are most common in bays or in harbours.

CONCLUSIONThank you for coming to explore the fascinating seas of Moon Jellyfish with me. I hope you learnt heaps on what they eat, where do they live and a few facts. The Moon Jellyfish loved you being here and I’m sure they wouldwant you come again. BON VOYAGE!!!

BIBLIOGRAPHYwww.googleimages.co.nz

ocean.nationalgeographic.com

en.wikipedia.org

marinebio.org

www.seafriends.org.nz

www.animalcorner.co.uk

www.aquaticcommunity.com

www.neaq.org

www.longbeachislandjournal.com

GLOSSARY Latitude ~ The distance of a place front the equator, measured in degrees.

Species ~ A group of animals or plants that are similar.

Medusa ~ A part of the body of a jellyfish

Diet ~ The sort of food that an animal or human usually eats.

Planula ~ A part of the body of a jellyfish

Grooves ~ A long narrow furrow or channel cut in the surface of something.

Ocean ~ The seas that surround the continents of the earth.

Diameter ~ A line drawn straight across a circle or sphere and passing through the centre.

INDEX

Moon Jellyfish, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,

Reproduction, 10,

Habitat, 7,

Family/ Species, 6, 11,

Lifespan, 13, 14, 15,

History, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15,