TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Rhizostomeae
Family: Mastigiidae
Genus/species: Mastigias papua
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The translucent bell of M. papua is usually hemispherical, with a diameter ranging from 30 to 80 mm (1 in to 3 inches). This species has 8 frilled oral arms, rather than tentacles. These arms end in a club-like filament that has a triangular cross-section, though this is absent in some species. Each oral arm has mouths on the club, as well as along the length towards the bell.
Color variation exists within Mastigias papua, though the bell is usually greenish blue to olive-green with yellow, white, and/or brown oval, granular spots across the rim (over the exumbrella). Coloring can be attributed to the zooxanthellae that reside symbiotically within the lagoon jellyfish (mostly in the mesoglea)
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Tropical Pacific ocean usually bays, harbors and lagoons.
DIET IN THE WILD: Instead of a single mouth, they have many small mouth openings on their oral-arms, which capture small animal plankton. In addition, each jelly grows a crop of algae, which gives them a greenish-brown color. They harvest some of their food directly from the algae.
MORTALITY: Lifespan of approximately 4 months
PREDATION The only creature that has been confirmed to prey on Mastigias papua is a sea anemone, Entacmaea medusivora.
REMARKS: Some species of small, juvenile fishes are known to shelter within this jelly’s bell for protection from larger predators.
The famous jellyfish of Jellyfish Lake, a well-known dive site in the Pacific islands of Palau, are descended from M. papua However unlike its jellyfish lake cousin M. papua possess venomous stinging cells for feeding and protection.
Human contacts may experience many adverse effects such as rashes, severe itching, nausea, and vomiting when contacting tentacles.
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Color on the Reef 2017 AQA17
Monterey Bay Aquarium www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates/sp…
ADW animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mastigias_papua/
EOL eol.org/pages/203445/overview
Ron’sW0rdpress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-PC
Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157610031545571/with/5985963712/
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Color on the Reef 2017 AQA17
Monterey Bay Aquarium
www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates/sp…
ADW animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mastigias_papua/
Eol eol.org/pages/203445/overview
Ron's Critter of the Day 