What is the Largest Species of Jellyfish
Jellyfish are found throughout the oceans of the world. They are marine animals that usually feature a gelatinous (resembling jelly) dome shaped structure (called the bell) with trailing tentacles. Jellyfish use these tentacles to capture prey, and each tentacle can inject venom. Certain species are capable of injuring humans and some can even cause death. Jellyfish are commonly encountered in the water, but may also be found on beaches where they can be washed up during wind or high tides. It is important to avoid any dangerous species, even if they have been washed up on shore because they can inject toxins even after death. There are many different species of jellyfish and they can range in size from just 1mm to more than 2 m in diameter for the bell (the tentacles may be longer still). Let’s find out which species of jellyfish is the largest in the world.
What is the largest jellyfish in the world?
The lion’s mane jellyfish is the largest living species of jellyfish in the world. It is capable of having a bell diameter of a massive 2.5m (8.2ft) and the tentacles of a specimen this big may trail for as long as 30 m (98 ft). The largest lion’s mane jellyfish ever found was a massive 37 m (120 ft) in length and was longer than a blue whale. This means that the lion’s mane jellyfish is one of the longest animals in the world! The lion’s mane jellyfish has 8 clusters of tentacles that each contain over 100 tentacles. The lion’s mane jellyfish is capable of stinging humans in the water and on the beach and the sting causes pain and redness. However, the sting of this species is not known to be fatal.
Did you know?
In 2010 there was an outbreak of jellyfish stings in Rye, New Hampshire. 150 people were stung and it is believed that a single lion’s mane jellyfish had broken up into smaller pieces and was responsible for the outbreak!
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