They belong to the phylum Ctenophora (the “c” is silent) which is characterized by their 8 rows of ciliated combs used for propulsion through the water column, but at a slow rate. As the “combs” move, light diffracts off the plates, creating a pulsing rainbow effect. Although this is not considered bioluminescence, some species are and this is only visible in the dark. Although the word “jelly” or “jellies” is apart of their naming, they are not the same thing as jellyfish, which belong to the phylum Cnidaria. Comb Jellies can be found in all areas of the worlds oceans from polar to tropical, coastal to open, and surface to deep waters. These invertebrates (no bones) are made up of 95% water. They are known to eat other ctenophores, salps (google those, they’re crazy), planktonic organisms, and fish larvae. This group, along with other species like moon jellies do not possess stinging cells. Both ctenophores and cnidarians are not highly oxygen dependent, so they can live in areas of low dissolved oxygen (hypoxic or anoxic zones). Increases in their abundance can be indicators of low oxygen environments.
Originally posted on 24 February 2019
(not my pictures)
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