The most interesting facts about jellyfish. Jellyfish: interesting facts, types, structure and features

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Many of those who rested on the sea, faced with jellyfish. This helped to realize the fact that they cannot be called ordinary and harmless creatures. Let's take a look at some interesting facts about jellyfish.

What does science know about jellyfish?

Researchers believe that jellyfish have existed for about 650 million years. They are found in all layers of each of the oceans. Various types of jellyfish live in both s alt and fresh water. Their primitive nervous system, which is located on the epidermis, allows you to perceive only smells and light. The nerve networks of jellyfish help them detect another organism through touch. These "animal plants", in fact, do not have a brain and sensory organs. They do not have a developed respiratory system, but breathe through thin skin that absorbs oxygen directly from the water.

Exploring interesting facts about jellyfish, scientists have noticed that these creatures are able to positively influence people experiencing stress. For example, in Japan they breed jellyfish in special aquariums. Their smooth and measured movements act as a sedative. Although such pleasure is expensive and brings additional troubles, in general it is justified.

Jellyfish are over 90 percent water. The venom of their tentacles is used as a raw material for drugs that regulate blood pressure and for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Portuguese boat jellyfish: interesting facts and observations

"Portuguese boat" it was called by some sailors of the XVIII century, who liked to talk to others about the jellyfish floating like a Portuguese warship of the Middle Ages. In fact, her body is very similar to this vessel.

Its official name is physalia, but it is not a single organism. We are talking about a colony of jellyfish and polyps in different modifications, which interact very closely, and therefore look like one creature. The poison of some species of physalia is deadly to humans. Most often, the habitats of the Portuguese boat are limited to the subtropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the northern bays of the Atlantic Ocean. In more rare cases, they are carried by currents to the waters of the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas, to the shores of France and Great Britain, to the Hawaiian Islands and the Japanese archipelago.

These jellyfish often swim in huge groups of several thousand individuals in warm waters. The transparent and shiny jellyfish body rises about 15 centimeters above the water and moves along a chaotic trajectory regardless of the wind. Those individuals that swim near the shore are often thrown onto land by powerful winds. During the warm seasonphysalia swims away from the shore, it moves with the flow towards one of the poles of the earth.

Distinctive features of physalia

Other interesting facts about this type of jellyfish relate to their unique features. Physalia is one of two species that can glow red. Another Portuguese warship uses its air bag filled with nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen as a sail. If a storm is coming, the jellyfish releases a bubble and goes under the water. Near her tentacles, small perches like to swim, which do not feel the toxic environment, have serious protection from enemies, as well as food particles. Perches with their appearance attract other fish, which become food for these invertebrates. Here is such a symbiosis.

There are a considerable number of species known today as physalia. In the Mediterranean alone, researchers have discovered about 20 species of Portuguese man-of-war.

Physalia jellyfish, interesting facts about reproduction

It is not known exactly how this jellyfish reproduces. However, scientific studies have shown that they reproduce asexually, and in each colony there are polyps that are responsible for reproduction. In fact, it is they who create new colonies. Portuguese boats are distinguished by the fact that they can breed continuously, so the number of nascent jellyfish is growing in the waters of the oceans and seas.

Another common version of the reproduction of physalia indicatesthat, when dying, a jellyfish leaves behind some organisms that show sexual characteristics, after which new individuals are formed. Until this theory is proven.

About the tentacles of the Portuguese man-of-war

Regarding the jellyfish tentacles, the interesting facts are that their device is unique. The "limbs" of jellyfish are equipped with a large number of capsules containing poison, the composition of which is similar to the poisonous substance of the cobra. Each of these small capsules is a hollow twisted tube with fine hairs. If contact occurs between the tentacles and the fish, the fish will die due to the stinging mechanism. When a person receives a burn from this jellyfish, he experiences a sharp pain, he will have a feverish state, and breathing will become difficult.

The interesting facts about jellyfish do not end there. The tentacles of these invertebrates can be up to 30 meters long. In addition, a person who is engaged in swimming, enjoying the process itself, will not always be able to see a bright blue-red bubble on the water and realize the danger that threatens it.

Irukandji jellyfish: interesting facts about the danger posed by it

This small jellyfish, which lives off the coast of Australia, produces poisonous substances that are stronger than cobra venom. There are 10 types of Irukandji, 3 of which are deadly. The bite is almost imperceptible, but its consequences are a powerful heart attack, which in some cases can end in excruciating pain.death. And all this can happen in just 20 minutes. Since these invertebrates are too small to be almost invisible, they can easily penetrate any barrier net that is designed for large creatures that pose a danger to swimmers and campers.

There are some more interesting facts about this species of jellyfish. Since the fishermen often fell ill with a strange disease after each trip to the sea, they realized that the reason for this was contact with some kind of sea creature. Medusa was named after the Irukandji tribe. Over time, thanks to Dr. Barnes, it was finally possible to establish that the cause of the diseases was contact with the jellyfish. Although its size is quite small, but the tentacles reach a length of 1 meter. The pain from the bite is so strong that it makes you double over, accompanied by intense sweating and vomiting, legs trembling violently.

Conclusions

Although these invertebrate organisms are hard to see in the water, regardless of their size, you should not be careless and inattentive while swimming in the sea, walking along the shore - for the sake of your he alth. Many species of jellyfish are dangerous to human he alth and life.

However, they also perform useful functions in their habitats, are used in medicine as a raw material for preparations. And who knows, maybe humanity will be able to get even more benefits from jellyfish.