Luminescent Jellyfish (Pelagia Noctiluca)

Latin name: Pelagia noctiluca
Common name: Luminescent Jellyfish
Family: Pelagiidae

Distribution: Mediterranean, Atlantic.

Habitat: Mainly open waters, but also coastal.

Behaviour: They are often accompanied by juvenile jacks who seek protection, but are not immune.

Reproduction: This species has no sessile stage in its reproduction, with the adult releasing juvenile medusae in the autumn.

Size: Bell around 10cm, marginal tentacles can extend more than 1 metre.

Shape: The spots on the bell are actually warts armed with stinging cells. It has 16 lobes, 8 sense organs, 8 marginal tentacles and 4 shorter frilled mouth tentacles.

Colour: They are strongly luminescent, but this is visible only at night and when disturbed.