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Jellyfish
Facts: Everything You Need To Know About Jellyfish!
Facts
About Jellyfish: What are Jellyfish?
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Jellyfish
are gelatinous zooplankton from the
Phylum
Cnidaria.
From an anatomical standpoint they are little more than a sac within a
sac.
Their body composition is 95% water. They do not have a brain, or even
a
central nervous system. They lack anything that remotely
resembles a skeletal system. Most jellyfish do not even have eyes.
Aside from eating, their only interaction
with
their immediate surroundings is the ability to distinguish between up
and
down, light from dark, or physical contact. Yet somehow their light
sensory abilities allow them
to perceive and maneuver around foreign objects.
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Facts
About Jellyfish: How Old are Jellyfish?
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Watch
Living
Fossils
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Jellyfish
are one of the
oldest non-extinct life
forms in existence. This should come as little surprise considering
they are
just one step up the evolutionary ladder from single cell organisms.
Jellyfish
fossils have been unearthed dating as far back as the Cambrian Period
some 600
million years ago. The
Cambrian Period predates not only the extinction
of
dinosaurs but their existence itself. These
mysterious creatures will probably be swimming
the Earth’s oceans long after mankind is gone.
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Facts
About Jellyfish: Can
You Keep Jellyfish as Pets?
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See This Desktop
Jellyfish Tank
Aquarium

The
World's Newest Desktop
Jellyfish Fish
Tank
Aquarium
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Keeping
jellyfish as pets is a new concept in the home
aquarium industry. It was, after all, only two decades ago that
jellyfish were
first
exhibited in a public aquarium. Until then even the most knowledgeable
experts didn't know enough about jellyfish to keep them alive in
captivity.
You can’t just walk into your
local pet shop
and buy a pet jellyfish aquarium. You can’t order a jellyfish
from
even
the largest
online fish suppliers. The idea of keeping jellyfish as pets falls, at
least for
the moment, in the realm of specialty items. This is probably because
jellyfish
require an aquarium that was specifically designed to keep these
fragile
organisms alive and healthy. There is currently only a single
company that produces an affordable desktop jellyfish aquarium fish
tank, JellyfishArt. JellyfishArt also tank raises
their own Moon Jellyfish
for Sale
to the general public so that you can actually purchase pet moon
jellyfish to stock your jellyfish aquarium with.
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Jellyfish
Fact: Is it Difficult to Keep Jellyfish Alive in
Captivity?
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Until
just a few short decades ago
scientist did not
possess the technological expertise to keep jellyfish alive in
captivity. Jellyfish
are 95% water. They
would
be liquefied instantly if
sucked into a conventional water filtration system. Jellyfish can not
be housed in a traditional square
aquarium.
They will get stuck in the corners and lack the higher brain
functioning ability
to get out. If there is not a flow of turbulence in the water, they are
reduced
to the equivalent of a bowl of jello. Keeping a jellyfish in a home
aquarium
was unthinkable. There was not a single jellyfish exhibit in a public
aquarium
anywhere in the world.
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Jellyfish
were first displayed in a public aquarium just over twenty years ago in
Monterey California. This
feat was made possible by the pioneering work of German oceanographer,
Dr.
Wolf
Greve.
Dr. Greve invented a circular aquarium that circulated
water in
a
horizontal circular pattern. He dubbed his invention the Kreisel
(German for
carousel) tank. This revolutionary aquarium was originally designed for
the
study of arctic plankton. The tank’s circular design and
water
flow gently
pushed the plankton away from the aquarium’s outer perimeter
and toward the
center of the tank. This technological breakthrough was essential in
keeping
jellyfish alive in a manmade environment. |
Facts
About
Jellyfish: Do Jellyfish Really Glow in the Dark?
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Go
to any large public aquarium and you will
watch exotic varieties of jellyfish fading almost hypnotically from one
color
to another. While it is nothing short of mesmerizing to observe a
jellyfish exhibit,
you are watching an orchestrated light show. Since most jellyfish are
transparent or translucent in appearance, this beautiful display of
coloration
is nothing more than light passing through the jellyfish’s
membranes. They are
not actually glowing. So the question remains do jelly fish really glow
in the
dark? And the answer is yes; well sort of.
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True jellyfish belong to the class Scyphozoa a
subdivision of the phylum Cnidaria. No true jellyfish actually glows in
the
dark. There are two species of jellyfish like organisms within the
phylum
Cnidaria that are bioluminescent depending on how strict a definition
is
applied to the term bioluminescent. Although they are not really
jellyfish they
are commonly referred to as comb jellyfish and crystal jellyfish.
Bioluminescence is the scientific term used to describe the chemical
process
through which an organism actually produces and emits light. Fire flies
are
bioluminescent.
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Watch Invaders
from Another Planet Video
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Comb
jellyfish do not require a fancy light show to produce
their very own disco display. They are not, however, bioluminescent.
They
simply appear to be. Comb jellies are from an entirely different class
(Ctenophora) than jellyfish. One of the defining parameters of what
constitutes
a jellyfish is the way in which it achieves locomotion. True jellyfish
do this
by expanding and contracting their hydroskeletons to create a kind of
primitive
jet propulsion. Mobility in comb jellyfish is achieved by the rabid
pulsing of
thousands of tiny oars distributed over 8 rows of legs extending from
their
main body. These legs are called combs, hence the name comb
jellyfish.
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These
creatures propel themselves through the water by
beating their combs against the water in sequence. The combs are highly
refractive. Even in lower light settings comb jellyfish give the
appearance of
producing their own disco light show. Scientists speculate that this
hypnotic
light display acts to entice the natural curiosity of potential prey.
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Facts
About
Jellyfish: What
Jellyfish Does Glow in the Dark?
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Crystal jellyfish come closer to
glowing in the dark than any
other jellyfish. Although crystal jellyfish (Aequorea victoria) are not
actually jellyfish either. Aequorea victoria are from the class
Hydrozoa a
subdivision of the phylum Cnidaria which includes their close
relatives, the
true jellyfish. Nor do crystal jellyfish actually bioluminescence. They
fluoresce. The illusion of biochemical light emission is produced by a
combination of two molecules; aequorin and green fluorescent protein
(GFP). GFP
produces brilliant neon green fluorescence when exposed to light in the
blue or purple spectrums.
GFP has
been isolated by scientist and is being used in cellular
research.
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GFP
was the
protein Dr. Zhiyuan Gong and his
colleagues at the
National University
of
Singapore incorporated into the genome of zebra danio eggs to create
the
immensely popular freshwater aquarium fish, the Glofish.
Further experimentation has progressed to the incorporation of this
gene into
mammals and most recently primates. It should be noted that none of
these
genetically engineered animals actually glow in the dark. They will,
however,
fluoresce under a backlight.
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Facts
About
Jellyfish: What
About Jellyfish
Stings?
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All
Jellyfish have specialized organelles called nematocysts.
These cells are full
of venom and are present on the tips of a jellyfish’s
tentacles. The stinging
cells are
triggered by touch. When triggered, the pressure in the nematocysts
builds up
to 2000 lbs. per square inch causing a microscopic lance to be ejected
administering
the jelly venom. A typical jellyfish contains millions of these
stinging cells.
Jellyfish do not actually attack humans. Their sting is nothing more
than an autonomic
response. This response serves the dual purpose being a self-defensive
mechanism
as well as paralyzing a jellyfish’s prey.
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Facts
About
Jellyfish: Are Jellyfish Stings Deadly?
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That
depends on which
jellyfish you are stung by.
Depending on the species in question, jellyfish stings range in
severity from
imperceptible to human beings to certain death without immediate
treatment. Most jellyfish stings are more akin to a bee sting than
anything
life threatening. It should be noted that each individual reacts
differently on
a metabolic level to invasive toxins. Bee stings are little more than a
minor
annoyance
to most people but there are those who must seek medical attention due
to
potentially life threatening allergic reactions to bee venom.
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The Sea Wasp holds the
World Heavy Weight Championship title
in that arena. The sea wasp is one of twenty species of
jellyfish
collectively referred to as box jellyfish because they have a box-like
rather
than an umbrella shaped bell. Sea wasps invade the northern shores of Australia annually. This
incursion into shallow waters begins at the onset of the rainy season
around
November and typically runs through to the end of May. Some
beaches have
nets put in place prior to this annual invasion in an attempt to
isolate beach
goers from these deadly creatures. Other beaches are closed entirely.
Wasp
jellyfish are one of the deadliest creatures on Earth.
An adult sea wasp carries enough venom to kill 60 full grown adults.
Death can
occur in as little as 2-3 minutes depending on the number and severity
of
stings. This is quicker than any insect, spider or snake known to man.
Approximately 1,000 people are stung by sea wasps annually resulting in
100
deaths.
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There
have been over 5,500 casualties since the
Australian government started keeping records of sea wasp fatalities in
1954.
Sting
victims swimming in deeper waters
frequently die from drowning or cardiac arrest before they are able to
make it
back to shore or their boat. All life guards on Australia's
northern beaches are
equipped with box jellyfish anti-venom kits. Survivors of box jellyfish
attacks
describe the pain as excruciating. Secondary mortality symptoms
include;
respiratory paralysis, neuromuscular paralysis, and cardiovascular
collapse.
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While box jellyfish
may hold the title for being
the deadliest creature in the world, pound for pound Irukandji
jellyfish are even
deadlier. For generations, the Irukandji aborigines spoke of a
mysterious
presence in Australian waters that brings unspeakable pain. Irukandji
syndrome
was first documented by Hugo Flecker in 1952. There are at least six
species of
jellyfish capable of producing Irukandji syndrome. The first of these
jellyfish,
Carukia barnesi, was discovered in 1964 by Dr. Jack Barnes. This
jellyfish was
smaller than his finger nail.
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Yet Dr.Barnes
was so
convinced
that he had just found the creature responsible for the mysterious
deaths off
the coasts of Autraila that he
intentionally stung
himself, his son and
the
lifeguard on duty. All three had to be hospitalized for Irukandji
syndrome. Irukandji
jellyfish venom is 100 times more potent than cobra venom and 1,000
times more
powerful than that of a tarantula. An anti-venom
has yet to be developed for Irukandji syndrome. Doctors are helpless to
prevent
the toxin from spreading in sting victims. They can only threat the
symptoms of
the venom and hope the patient lives through the agonizing experience.
Neither
box jellies or Irukanji jellyfish are actual
jellyfish. They are members of the class Cobozoa one of the four
classes contained
within the phylum Cnidaria which also contains Scyphozoa or what is
known as "true jellyfish."
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Facts
About
Jellyfish: How do you Treat Jellyfish Stings?
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Contrary
to
popular belief, urinating on a jellyfish sting is not the best
emergency medical
treatment. In fact, you may only succeed in making the problem worse.
Jellyfish
stingers remain embedded in the skin, just like a bee’s
stinger. The first step
is to deactivate the stingers to prevent additional venom from entering
the
victim’s system. Dosing the area with vinegar is the best way
to neutralize
jellyfish venom and prevent nematocysts from being triggered.
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If vinegar is
unavailable,
anything with a high
acid content can be used instead. Rinse the
stings thoroughly with sea
water if
no acidic compounds are available. DO NOT use freshwater.
Freshwater
will activate any unfired
nematocysts and result in the further release of venom.
Remove
the
jellyfish stingers. This can be accomplished by rubbing the skin
vigorously
with sand or scraping the skin with a dull, flat object. NEVER ALLOW
your bare
hands to come in contact with the stingers. Use a
towel or gloves.
Seek
immediate medical treatment. Lifeguards are equipped with emergency
first aid
kits and the proper training to treat indigenous jellyfish stings. If
immediate
medical assistance is not available watch the victim for: shortness of
breath,
wheezing, tightening of the throat, flushed skin, weakness, nausea, or
dizziness until help arrives. These may be signs of the onset
of
anaphylactic shock, which is potentially life threatening.
Learn the Proper
Way
to Treat a Jellyfish Sting
Watch Dr. Mike Leahy
Sting Himself with a Box Jellyfish on Purpose!
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Facts
About Jellyfish: What
is the World’s Largest Jellyfish?
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The
largest known jellyfish species is the Arctic lion’s main
jellyfish followed closely by Nomura’s jellyfish off the
coasts of China
and Japan.
The largest lion’s mane ever
officially documented washed up on the shoreline of Massachusetts Bay
in 1870. Its bell measured 7.5 feet (2.28 meters) in diameter
and its tentacles stretched to a length of 120 feet (36.5 meters).
There have
been claims of larger jellyfish being discovered since then but none
have been
officially documented. This photo has been circulating the internet
lately. It
is a fake, probably somebody’s idea of fun playing with their
Adobe Photoshop.
This pictures a Nomura's Jellfish at 5 times its actual size.
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There is a widely held
misconception that the
Portuguese man o’ war is the largest known jellyfish. The
Portuguese man o’ war
is also not an actual jellyfish. It is a massive colony of 1,000,000s
of
Hydrozoa functioning in unison as a single organism. Hydrozoa are the
fourth
class of the phylum Cnidaria.
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Copyright ©
2009.
All Rights Reserved. |
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