Current:Home > NewsSurpassing:What do jellyfish eat? Understanding the gelatinous sea creature's habits. -Zenith Investment School
Surpassing:What do jellyfish eat? Understanding the gelatinous sea creature's habits.
Johnathan Walker View
Date:2025-04-07 15:17:07
Even before dinosaurs,Surpassing jellyfish were on Earth – and in its seas and oceans – for millennia, according to National Geographic. The gelatinous creature's body is comprised of more than 95% water, the Monterey Bay Aquarium reports.
There are over 200 species of "true jellyfish" and each has its own unique habitat. But what about the jellies' eating habits? What do they enjoy for a snack?
Whether it's a boxfish jellyfish or a moon jelly, here is what's on the menu.
What do jellyfish eat?
Jellyfish are carnivores, so their diet mainly consists of other animals. This includes zooplankton, small crustaceans, small fish and other jellyfish, according to Oceana, an ocean conservation nonprofit. Jellyfish will also consume plants, National Geographic reports.
Some species' mouths are located on the underside of their bell-shaped bodies. This cavity serves the dual-purpose of being a mouth and an anus, according to Oceana. Other jellies have no mouth. Alternatively, they ingest food via openings on their oral arms, the American Museum of Natural History reports.
Jellyfish digest their meals very quickly. If they did not, the sea animal would not be able to float properly, according to National Geographic.
Do jellyfish feel pain?
Jellyfish do not have organs or bones and only have a "basic network of neurons," according to Ocean Conservancy, an environmental non-profit.
As a result, the animals don't feel pain in the same way humans do.
What is the lifespan of the jellyfish?
Jellyfish do not live long. Most species of medusa (or adult) jellyfish live for a few months in the wild, according to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. In captivity, they can live for around two to three years.
In its polyp form, jellyfish can live and reproduce asexually for long periods of time, even for decades, Smithsonian reports.
One species, however, has gained the title of "immortal." Turritopsis dohrnii, often called the "immortal jellyfish," will undergo a process called "transdifferentiation" in response to physical damage or starvation. During this, a medusa jellyfish will revert back to its polyp stage, according to American Museum of Natural History.
Just Curious for more? We've got you covered
USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "Do sharks have bones?" to "Where do polar bears live?" to "How long do orcas live?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.
veryGood! (868)
Related
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Anthony Edwards up for challenge against US women's table tennis team
- From hating swimming to winning 10 medals, Allison Schmitt uses life story to give advice
- From hating swimming to winning 10 medals, Allison Schmitt uses life story to give advice
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Secrets About the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Straight From the Squad
- Arizona judge rejects wording for a state abortion ballot measure. Republicans plan to appeal
- How many gold medals does Simone Biles have? What to know about her records, wins, more
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- US gymnast Paul Juda came up big at Olympic qualifying. But 'coolest thing is yet to come'
Ranking
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Sonya Massey called police for help, 30 minutes later she was shot in the face: Timeline
- Fires in the West are becoming ever bigger, consuming. Why and what can be done?
- Serena Williams' Husband Alexis Ohanian Aces Role as Her Personal Umbrella Holder
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Utility regulators file complaint against natural gas company in fatal 2021 blast in Pennsylvania
- Even on quiet summer weekends, huge news stories spread to millions more swiftly than ever before
- Here’s how Jill Biden thinks the US can match the French pizzazz at the LA Olympics
Recommendation
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
Allegations left US fencers pitted against each other weeks before the Olympics
Why Olympian Jordan Chiles Almost Quit Gymnastics
Simone Biles competes in Olympics gymnastics with a calf injury: What we know
Rams vs. 49ers highlights: LA wins rainy defensive struggle in key divisional game
Serena Williams' Husband Alexis Ohanian Aces Role as Her Personal Umbrella Holder
Katie Ledecky Olympic swimming events: What she's swimming at 2024 Paris Olympics
Even on quiet summer weekends, huge news stories spread to millions more swiftly than ever before