Learn about the moon jelly, a translucent, half-moon-shaped jellyfish that can change color from white to blue, pink, or purple. Find out how they reproduce, what they eat, and where they live in the ocean. Aurelia aurita (also called the common jellyfish, moon jellyfish, moon jelly or saucer jelly) is a species of the family Ulmaridae.
[1][2] All species in the genus are very similar, and it is difficult to identify Aurelia medusae without genetic sampling; [3] most of what follows applies equally to all species of the genus. Is moon jelly blue or purple? Moon jellies are commonly a translucent white but occasionally an individual will have a distinctive blue or purple hue, likely due to their diet. In aquariums where they are typically fed brine shrimp, moon jellies take on an orange tint.
Description: Ninety-five percent or more of the weight of the Moon jellyfish is water; it has no brain, eyes or heart. The whitish color of its bell or moon-shaped dome often shows shades of blue, pink or purple. Moon jellies are primarily translucent and do not have any pigmentation themselves.
However, sometimes they can appear colorful due to the color of the food they have eaten. Weight can vary - a moon jelly is made up of approximately 95% water and weight can be dependent on size and food. They are carnivorous and eat mainly small plankton.
The moon jelly is very plentiful. However, plastic bags that end up in the ocean often look like jellies to animals that depend on these drifting creatures for food. Thousands of turtles and birds die each year after swallowing indigestible wads of plastic mistaken for jellies.
You can help by eliminating single. About The moon jellyfish, or moon jelly, is found throughout the world's oceans. Around the size of a plate, it is recognisable by the four circles visible through the translucent white bell.
These four circles are gonads, the reproductive organs located at the bottom of the stomach, and they are normally purple in colour. Moon jellies are common in UK seas and are often found washed up on. About Moon Jellies The moon jelly has a bell that reaches 15 inches in diameter.
The bell is usually clear and can occasionally be seen with a pink hue if the jelly has been feeding on crustaceans. If the bell has an orange hue the jelly has been feeding on brine shrimp. Brood pockets in the oral arms of the jellies may appear bright reddish-orange, due to the color of the developing larvae.
Learn the scientific name, discover the habitat, diet and special characteristics of the Moon Jelly with the Georgia Aquarium. Learn about moon jellies, including their habitat, diet, range and population status, and where you can find them at the National Aquarium.