Jelly blubber
Jelly blubber in Port Phillip Bay, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Rhizostomeae
Family: Catostylidae
Genus: Catostylus
Species:
C. mosaicus
Binomial name
Catostylus mosaicus
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824

The jelly blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), also known as the blue blubber jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific. It is the most commonly encountered jellyfish along the Australian eastern coast and large swarms sometimes appear in estuarine waters.

Description

Blubber Jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium showing two of the color variations (blue and brown) possible in this species.

In Sydney waters, the jelly blubber's large bell is a creamy white or brown colour, but farther north in Australia it is usually blue.[1] The colours are derived from symbiotic algal plant cells within the body of the jellyfish.[2][3] There is no obvious mouth on the underside, but there are small openings on each arm, through which food is passed to the stomach.[4] The tentacles also have stinging cells that can capture tiny crustaceans and other plankton. It can grow up to 35cm across.[2]

The sting can be painful but generally poses no serious risk to humans.

Blubber jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Jellyfish Experience"

Distribution and habitat

This jellyfish is found in coastal parts of the Indo-Pacific. In Australia, it occurs off the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. It can also enter intertidal estuaries.[5]

Food

Eats mainly plankton, small fish, some crustaceans, and small particles in the ocean water.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Catostylus mosaicus.
  1. ↑ "Catostylus mosaicus". Julian Rocks. Archived from the original on 2010-06-25.
  2. 1 2 "Blue Blubber". www.qm.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  3. ↑ "Jelly Blubber". The Australian Museum. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. ↑ "Blubber jelly". Monterey Bay Aquarium. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
  5. ↑ "Catostylus mosaicus (Quoy & Gaimard)". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
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