Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Upside-down Jelly fish (Cassiopea ornata)



Although jellyfish are relatively common in all seas, they are seen infrequently in the coral reef environment. One notable exception, however, is the Upside-down Jelly fish which has the unusual habit of resting on the bottom with its "arms" extended upwards. Their arms contain live algal cells (zooxanthellae) which depend on sunlight to produce organic compounds utilized by the jellyfish. The upside-down position provides maximum exposure to the sun. One of the best place to view this animal is Kakaban Island, a tiny outpost off the northeast coast of Kalimantan in Indonesia. Most of  the island's interior is filled with a brackish lake, teeming with several species of jellyfish. The Upside-down jellyfish  is incredibly abundant, forming a nearly solid carpet in some areas. This species has specialized stinging cells on its tentacles called nematocysts, as do most jellyfish. These tiny, spring loaded darts, extremely sensitive to touch, are used to capture food, which ranges from tiny plankton to fishes.  

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