Aquascope

Facts

The seas beautiful lion

Lion´s mane jellyfish eating another

Lion´s mane jellyfish eats among other things, other jellyfish....

Lion´s mane jellyfish eating a fish

... and fish.


The english name has in mind the fact that it looks like a lion´s mane. Other similarities to the lion also exist, its size and also that it is an effective predator.
    In Swedish waters, the lion´s mane jellyfish can be impressive, with its 50 cm wide "umbrella" and its several metre long powerfull stinging tentacles, also maybe a little frightening when you meet it. But the lion´s mane jellyfish can be significantly larger. Reports of individuals with "umbrellas" 2 metres wide, weighing 1 ton and catching prey with tentacles 30 metres long from colder, northern waters.
    The lion´s mane jellyfish can eat the same things as the moon jellyfish. Its most important source of food seems to be moon jellyfish. The lion´s mane jellyfish can kill and catch many types of fish, but whiting has the fantastic ability to avoid capture and death. Nobody knows why, but whiting can swim amongst the tentacles without activating the stinging cells, even when it comes in direct contact with the tentacles or mouth arms. Therefore the whiting can grow up in relative security, without the risk of attack from fish of prey.

Whiting and tentacles

Whiting finds security amongst the tentacles.



Page 1 of 2

Next page

The seas beautiful lion

Stroke a stinging jellyfish?


Lion´s mane jellyfish     More facts     Other names
Home    Contents    Inspiration    Facts    Collaboration   
© Aquascope 2000   Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Strömstad, Sweden
Bo Johannesson | Martin Larsvik | Lars-Ove Loo | Helena Samuelsson