Aurelia aurita

The Moon Jellyfish

Phylum Cnidaria
Class Schyphozoae
Order Stauromedusa
Suborder Eleutherocarpida
Family Ulmaridae
Genus Aurelia
Species aurita

Description: Generally from 10 cm to 41 cm in diameter and 7.6 cm high; bell is shallow and almost colorless; four horseshoe shaped gonads which can be violet, pink or yellow in color; radial canals of the digestive tract are visible; numerous short tentacles; four oral arms that are long and frilly; short, stout feeding tube; bell margin divided into eight lobes with sense organs located between each lobe.

Habitat: Floats near the surface.

Natural History: Often seen in huge swarms, we came upon a very large group floating in the current off the Evergreen beach. They trap small organisms, such as copepods, in the mucous they produce and move the prey to the mouth by ciliary action. Jellyfish with purple or pink gonads are males; those with yellow gonads are females.