Chrysaora colorata

Chrysaora colorata
A purple-striped jellyfish in the Pacific
Information
Common Name	Purple-striped jellyfish
Range	Off the coasts of California
Scientific Classification
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Cnidaria
Class	Scyphozoa
Order	Semaeostomeae
Family	Pelagiidae
Genus	Chrysaora
Species	Chrysaora colorata
Conservation Status
Least Concern

The Chrysaora colorata, more commonly called the Purple-striped jelly, is a species of the Propithecus genus. It is common off the coasts of California in the Pacific ocean.

Appearance

Chrysaora colorata, like many other species of the Cnidaria phylum, exists primarily in its adult medusa form. It possesses a distinctive white bell decorated with purple stripes, which spoke outward from its centre. Its bells grow to be roughly 0.7m (2.3ft) in diameter.

The Chrysaora colorata possesses four long, frilly, white oral arms that flank their quadrate mouths, characteristic of the Semaeostomeae order. It also possess eight white tentacles that possess a sting; this sting is irritating to humans but rarely dangerous. The tentacles and arms vary in length depending on the individual's age.

Behavior

As Chrysaora colorata is of the Cnidaria phylum, it lacks higher learning capabilities, so it only possesses innate behaviours. Chrysaora colorata often drift, as swarms, in ocean currents collecting food.

Diet

The Chrysaora colorata's diet consists mainly of Zooplankton, Comb jellies, Salps, other jellyfish, and fish eggs. The four large oral arms capture floating food and digest it, or move it upward into the jellyfish's mouth. Its prey is killed by the millions of nematocysts (stinging cells) that cover the surface of its tentacles.

Gallery

• A Purple-striped Jellyfish

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