Spindrift
07-06-2012, 08:36 PM
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A Lion's Mane Jellyfish, the largest jellyfish in the world! They have been swimming in arctic waters since before the dinosaurs (over 650 million years ago) and are among some of the oldest surviving species in the world.
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion's_mane_jellyfish
The lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) is the largest known species of jellyfish. Its range is confined to cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans, seldom found farther south than 42°N latitude. Similar jellyfish, which may be the same species, are known to inhabit seas near Australia and New Zealand. The largest recorded specimen found, washed up on the shore ofMassachusetts Bay in 1870, had a bell (body) with a diameter of 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) and tentacles 120 feet (37 m) long. Lion's mane jellyfish have been frequently observed below 42°N latitude for some time—specifically in the larger bays of the east coast of the United States.
At 120 feet (37 m) in length, the largest known specimen was longer than a blue whale and is considered one of the longest known animals in the world.
Most encounters cause temporary pain and localized redness. In normal circumstances, and in healthy individuals, their stings are not known to be fatal.
On July 21, 2010, around 150 people are thought to have been stung by the remains of a lion's mane jellyfish that had broken up into countless pieces in Rye, New Hampshire in the United States. Considering the size of the species, it is possible that this mass incident was caused by a single specimen.
A Lion's Mane Jellyfish, the largest jellyfish in the world! They have been swimming in arctic waters since before the dinosaurs (over 650 million years ago) and are among some of the oldest surviving species in the world.
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion's_mane_jellyfish
The lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) is the largest known species of jellyfish. Its range is confined to cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans, seldom found farther south than 42°N latitude. Similar jellyfish, which may be the same species, are known to inhabit seas near Australia and New Zealand. The largest recorded specimen found, washed up on the shore ofMassachusetts Bay in 1870, had a bell (body) with a diameter of 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) and tentacles 120 feet (37 m) long. Lion's mane jellyfish have been frequently observed below 42°N latitude for some time—specifically in the larger bays of the east coast of the United States.
At 120 feet (37 m) in length, the largest known specimen was longer than a blue whale and is considered one of the longest known animals in the world.
Most encounters cause temporary pain and localized redness. In normal circumstances, and in healthy individuals, their stings are not known to be fatal.
On July 21, 2010, around 150 people are thought to have been stung by the remains of a lion's mane jellyfish that had broken up into countless pieces in Rye, New Hampshire in the United States. Considering the size of the species, it is possible that this mass incident was caused by a single specimen.