Types Of Jellyfish
All About The Different Types of Jellyfish
There are many types of jellyfish inhabiting the oceans of the world. In the Scyphozoa class, there are over one hundred and fifty species. Often very colorful and big, these are usually found in waters near coastal areas around the world.
The sting from the Scyphozoa types of jellyfish isn't usually fatal, but if you're stung, it's best to seek first aid, in case you're not sure what species you were stung by. These types of jellyfish are used as a food source in many parts of the world, mainly in Asian countries.
The Staurozoa types of jellyfish have more than fifty species, and are also called stalked jellyfish. These are calm and small jellyfish that often live in colder waters. They can be found most often in the oceans off Asia, North America and Europe. These types of jellyfish can be deceptive, and many are nearly colorless, and barely visible with the naked eye.
The Cubozoa types of jellyfish, also known as the box jellyfish, have more than twenty species. These are predatory animals always on the lookout for prey. The sting from these types of jellyfish is extremely poisonous and can easily be fatal if the recipient of the sting doesn't get rapid medical help.
Box jellyfishes can be normally seen in the oceans off Vietnam, Hawaii, the Philippines, North Australia and other areas in the tropics.
The Hydrozoa types of jellyfish have more than twelve hundred different species within the class. They are normally found in deep water. They can inhabit fresh waters as well as salt water, and most of these species are very colorful. Their lifespan is very short – it ranges from only a few hours to the maximum of a few months. Some species of Hydrozoa jellyfish can reproduce both asexually and sexually.
Some marine creatures are called jellyfish, even though they are not actual types of jellyfish. One such creature is the Portuguese Man O' War, which looks very similar to a jellyfish. There are also creatures known as comb jellies. They look and act like jellyfish, but they are not true jellyfish, because they have no cells to sting their prey with.
The tropical waters off northern Australia are the home of the box jellyfish. They can grow up to twenty centimeters, on each side of the cube-shaped bell. Each of its fifteen tentacles per corner of its “box” contains almost five thousand cells for stinging prey.
The box types of jellyfish and the smaller Irukandji both have bodies that are shaped like boxes. But the box jellyfish has stinging cells only on its tentacles, whereas the Irukandji has stinging cells also on its body.