Asian moon jelly
Aurelia coerulea
Crown Jellyfish
Cephea cephea
About
A large purplish-blue jellyfish of the tropical Indo-West Pacific and Red Sea, named for the crown-like bump and cauliflower texture on top of its bell. It grows to about 60 cm across.
Also known as: cauliflower jellyfish, crowned jellyfish, Cephea jellyfish
- Length
- 40 cm · max 60 cm
- Depth
- up to 30 m
Appearance
Purplish-blue with a thick bell up to 60 cm in diameter, covered in wart-like projections that give it a cauliflower look. A ring of frilled oral arms hangs beneath the bell instead of long trailing tentacles.
Habitat
Lives in the open water column of tropical and subtropical seas. It spends the day deeper and rises toward the surface at night.
Behaviour
Drifts and pulses through midwater, moving up at night and back down by day. It is bioluminescent, and sea turtles are its main predator.
Diet
Feeds on plankton, algae, shrimp, and the eggs and larvae of invertebrates, stunning prey with stinging cells.
Is it dangerous?
harmless to humans
Did you know?
It is one of the most venomous jellyfish, yet its sting is harmless to people — in Japan and China it is eaten as a delicacy.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
