Moon jellyfish
Moon jellyfish
Aurelia aurita
Max. size: 40 cm
Geographical distribution:
The moon jellyfish is a cosmopolitan jellyfish which lives in the open sea and in coastal waters, in temperatures that can range from +4°C to +30°C.
Biology:
The moon jellyfish belongs to the family of corals and sea anemones: the “Cnidaria”. With a soft bell-shaped body, it is made up of 97% water. It is easily recognised by its four horseshoe-shaped reproductive organs.
Harmless to man, it feeds on plankton using its tentacles which have small poisonous harpoons.
Reproduction:
These jellyfish have separate genitals. The female produces eggs which she keeps in her stomach. The male produces spermatozoa carried by the current. These are recovered by the female and fertilisation takes place in her stomach. The larva produced (known as a planula) then attaches itself to substratum to develop before living in the open sea.
From Spring, the jellyfish are gathered in the port of Saint-Malo to be displayed in their cylinder. In Winter, the biologists reproduce them in the Grand Aquarium’s quarantine tanks.
