Moon+Jellyfish

Moon Jellyfish-//Aurelia aurita//



**Phylum:** Cnidaria  **Class:** Scyphozoa   **Location:** In the Atlantic Ocean from the Artic to Mexico. In the Pacific Ocean, from Alaska to Southern California  **Size:** Up to 18 inches in diameter   **Habitat:** Moon jellyfish are typically found near the shore. Its preferred temperatures are 9 °C to 19 °C. They can be found in freezing water as well as tropical regions. Living Requirements: Moon Jellyfish eat small plankton, larval crab, shrimp and fish eggs to survive. They stay near the surface because that is where most of the plankton they eat stay. ** Life Cylcle: ** The Moon Jellyfish has two major stages in its life cycle. It can reproduce sexually and asexually. The Polyp stage is asexual reproduction which is done by budding and produces colonies of smaller polyps. These small polyps are also called medusas that swim off to reproduce sexually. A larvae is formed from the zygote and leaves the adult medusa to find a shaded surface to attach to. It eventually develops into a new polyp and the life cycle starts over again. ** Interesting Facts: **
 * Its the most common jellyfish to wash up on shore.
 * The jellyfish is not actually a fish.
 * Moon Jellyfish are the most common jellyfish found in aquarium.

Moon Jellyfish have no harm to humans because of their stingers not being strong enough to sting a human's skin. Some of them have been put in the aquarium for protection.
 * Human Impact: **

Zookeeper: Marissa Jenkins  References:   []   []   []