JelLy fiSh

Jelly fishes do not have brain and spines. You can also see right through them. But they can cause painful, sometimes deadly stings. Some can even glow in the dark. Scientists know them as medusas, however some people call them as jellyfish.

What are jelly fish?

They are not really fish. They are invertebrate animals. This means they don’t have backbones. In fact, they don’t have bones at all.

Jellyfishes have stomachs and mouths, but no heads.  They have nervous system to sense the world around them, but no brain. They are made almost entirely of water, which is why you can look through them.

Most jellyfishes live in salt water, apart from a few types that live in fresh water. Jellyfishes are found in oceans and seas all over the world. They live in warm, tropical seas and in icy waters near the north and south poles.

What do jellyfish eat?

Most jellyfish eat fish, tiny creatures called plankton, and even other jellyfish. Once a jellyfish stings and paralyzes its prey, it takes the prey to its mouth and swallows it.

How do jellyfish move?

Jellyfish use their bell-shaped bodies to move themselves through the water. They expand their bodies and then squish their sides together. This pushes water out behind them, propelling them along. Most jellyfish swim very slowly. They do most of their moving by riding on ocean currents.