The cyanea jellyfish is the largest in the world. Cyanea jellyfish - a giant arctic specimen with a lion's mane

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Are you also looking forward to a vacation to spend it at sea? No matter how much we love to carelessly splash in its waves, we should not forget that danger may be hidden in them. Namely, jellyfish - often cute, but mercilessly stinging. And although they consist almost entirely of water, the stinging cells of many of them contain poison, which is injected into the victim faster than a bullet flies. So it’s time to find out which jellyfish you shouldn’t approach even for the sake of beautiful picture and what to do if you do get stung.

We are in website chose 10 dangerous jellyfish, whose poison can provoke a serious allergic reaction and can even be dangerous to health and life. Hopefully you won't have to encounter any of these jellyfish. But caution won't hurt.

sea ​​wasp (Chironex fleckeri)

This jellyfish is more agile than its relatives and more dangerous: while ordinary jellyfish react to light and swim with the flow, this one uses vision and decides where to swim. Its tentacles can reach 1.5 m in length, and its poison reserve is one sea ​​wasp enough to kill 50 people.

Where it occurs: tropical seas of Australia and Oceania.

sea ​​nettle (Chrysaora)

Typically, an individual reaches 30 cm in diameter, and its 24 tentacles can be up to 2 m long. The sting of sea nettle is extremely painful and leaves a rash and It's a dull pain, but at least these jellyfish are not life threatening.

Where it occurs: coast North America, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Irukandji (Carukia barnesi)

The jellyfish itself reaches only 15-20 mm in diameter, but its tentacles can be up to 35 cm long. Don't let its size and cuteness fool you: it is one of the most dangerous and poisonous jellyfish in the world, the consequences of contact with it even received a special name - Irukandji syndrome. A small amount of poison is enough to cause severe pain in the different parts body, vomiting, spasms, burning skin, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure and acute heart failure.

Where it occurs: coasts of Australia and Oceania.

Lion's mane (Cyanea capillata)

A real giant jellyfish: the diameter of the dome can reach 2.5 m, and the tentacles can be 30 m in length. It was not for nothing that they called her for her beauty lion's mane, but the tentacles of this sea creature leave a very painful burn, and the toxins in the venom can cause allergies in humans or kill small fish.

Where it occurs: in all northern seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Physalia (Physalia physalis)

The Portuguese man-of-war, also known as physalia, is not even a jellyfish, but a whole colony of polypoid and medusoid individuals. Under a small beautiful bubble are hidden very long “tentacles” - in fact, these are polyps covered with stinging cells with deadly dangerous poison. Their length can reach 10 m. Physalia move in groups of up to 100 colonies, and sometimes resorts have to close entire beaches because of them.

Where it occurs: tropical seas, but often appears in temperate seas.

Cornerots (Stomolophus meleagris)

The spherical dome of this jellyfish is somewhat reminiscent of a cannonball. In some countries, such as China, cornroots are even considered edible (after appropriate processing, of course). However, it should be remembered that the venom of this jellyfish contains toxins that can cause heart problems in people.

Where it occurs: midwestern Atlantic, east-central and northwestern Pacific, Mediterranean, Azov, Black and Red seas.

Crosses (Gonionemus vertens)

The bell of this small jellyfish reaches only 80 mm, and a red-brown cross is visible on its body. She has a lot of tentacles that can stretch greatly. The crosses sting very painfully, but, fortunately, their “bites” are not fatal.

Where it occurs: coastal waters of China and California.

Jellyfish Alatinaalata

The largest specimens of this jellyfish are found in the Pacific Ocean and reach 30 cm in length. Hawaiian individuals are smaller - up to 15 cm in length. These jellyfish also cause the deadly Irukandji syndrome, and the transparent dome makes them even more invisible in the water.

Where it occurs: between the Pacific, Atlantic and perhaps Indian Ocean, as well as on the coast of Pakistan.

Nomura (Nemopilema nomurai)

This is one of the largest jellyfish in the world: its diameter reaches 2 m, and it can weigh about 200 kg. Nomura are dangerous not only because they are poisonous, but they also damage fishing equipment. There is a known case when a fishing boat was sunk because of them: jellyfish clogged the nets, and the crew could not cope with them.

Where it occurs: Far Eastern seas of China, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Pelagia nocturnal (Pelagia noctiluca)

The jellyfish can emit light in short bursts and its colors range from pink and purple to gold. They are often washed up on beaches by waves, as they live near the shore. Although jellyfish are small (6-12 cm in dome diameter), they sting painfully, and their venom causes burning, inflammation, an allergic rash and leaves blisters.

Where it occurs: Mediterranean and Red Seas, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

It is no secret that each group of vertebrate animals (phylum, class, family, genus) has its own record holders for certain achievements. Invertebrates are not far behind them, because among them there are also those who can be envied! One of these creatures is the giant cyanea jellyfish.

Giant in the sea

Hairy cyanea is the most large jellyfish all over the world. This is a real giant of the seas and oceans. Its full name is Cuanea arctica, which is translated from Latin language sounds like "jellyfish" This beautifully glowing pink-violet creature can be found in the high latitudes of the northern jellyfish is common in all northern seas flowing into the Pacific and atlantic oceans. You can see it directly near the shores, in upper layers water. Researchers who studied the hairy cyanea initially looked for it in the Azov and Black Seas, but never found it.

Cyanea jellyfish. Impressive size

According to the latest oceanographic studies cited by members of the expedition of the so-called Cousteau team, the diameter of the gelatinous “body” (or dome) of cyanea can reach 2.5 m. But that’s what it’s all about! The pride of the hairy arctic jellyfish is its tentacles. The length of these processes ranges from 26 to 42 m! Scientists have come to the conclusion that the size of these jellyfish depends entirely on their living conditions. According to statistical data, it is the individuals that inhabit the coldest ocean waters that are enormous in size.

External structure

The hairy cyanea jellyfish has a fairly varied coloring of its body. Brown, purple and red tones predominate here. When a jellyfish becomes an adult, its dome (“body”) on top begins to clearly turn yellow, and its edges begin to turn red. The tentacles located at the edges of the dome are purple-pink, and the mouth lobes are red-crimson. It is because of the long tentacles that the cyanea was nicknamed the hairy (or hairy) jellyfish. The dome itself, or bell, of the Arctic cyanide has a hemispherical structure. Its edges smoothly transform into 16 blades, which, in turn, are separated from each other by specific cutouts.

Lifestyle

These creatures spend the lion's share of their numerous time in so-called free swimming - hovering on surfaces sea ​​waters, periodically contracting its gelatinous dome and flapping its outer blades. The hairy cyanea is a predator, and a very active one at that. It feeds on plankton floating in the surface layers of water, crustaceans and small fish. In especially “hungry years”, when there is literally nothing to eat, cyanea can starve for a long time. But in some cases, these creatures become cannibals, devouring their own relatives.

Members of Cousteau's team describe in their research the method of hunting that the jellyfish uses. The hairy cyanide rises to the surface of the water, spreading its long tentacles in different sides. She waits for her victim. Researchers have noticed that in this state, cyanea very much resembles. As soon as the victim swims closer to such “algae” and touches it, the jellyfish immediately wraps it around the prey, releasing it with the help of so-called poison that can paralyze. As soon as the prey stops showing signs of life, the jellyfish eats it. The venom of this gelatinous giant is quite strong and is produced along the entire length of the tentacles.

Reproduction

This creature multiplies very in an unusual way. The male releases his sperm through the oral cavity into the female's mouth. Actually, that's all. It is in the mouth of the female jellyfish that the formation of embryos occurs. When the “babies” grow up, they will emerge as larvae. These larvae, in turn, will attach to the substrate, turning into a single polyp. After a few months, the grown polyp will begin to multiply, after which the larvae of future jellyfish will appear.

Until now, the largest caught Arctic cyanide, officially registered in documents, is a creature thrown up in 1870 on the coast of the Gulf of America. The diameter of the dome of this giant was 2.3 m, and the length of the tentacles was 36.5 m. Currently, scientists know for certain It is known that there are specimens with a gelatinous body diameter of up to 2.5 m and a tentacle length of 42 m. Such jellyfish were recorded using a scientific underwater bathyscaphe as part of oceanological expeditions, but no one has yet managed to catch at least one such individual.

The cyanea jellyfish is known among divers for its painful sting. Officially, the world's largest jellyfish is considered dangerous to humans. But in fact, only one death was recorded. As a rule, such a burn leaves local redness on the person’s skin, which goes away over some time. Sometimes rashes appear on the body, accompanied by painful sensations. And all because the giant’s venom contains toxins that can cause an allergic reaction. However, if you are stung by a giant cyanea jellyfish, it is recommended that you see a doctor.

A similar photo is often found on the Internet and the caption under it says that in front of you is the most big jellyfish in the world. The jellyfish is called the arctic cyanea (cyanea hairy or lion's mane), and its tentacles can reach 37 meters in length. In general, this deep monster looks really scary, but is it really that huge? This post will help us understand this.

In general, the title photo from the series is something like this:

So what's really in the photo? You may be surprised, but the photo shows a real Arctic cyanide. And she really is the largest jellyfish in the world. True, the diameter of its dome reaches a maximum of 2 meters and it looks something like this:

The largest jellyfish reached 36.5 meters, and the diameter of the “cap” was 2.3 meters.

There is a difference, isn't there?

Let's find out a little more about this jellyfish.

Cyanos is translated from Latin as blue, and capillus - hair or capillary, i.e. literally a blue-haired jellyfish. This is a representative of the scyphoid jellyfish of the order Discomedusae. Cyanea exists in several types. Their number is a subject of dispute between scientists, however, two more varieties are currently distinguished - blue (or blue) cyanea (suapea lamarckii) and Japanese cyanea (suapea capillata nozakii). These relatives of the giant “lion’s mane” are significantly smaller in size.

Giant cyanea is a resident of cold and moderately cold waters. It is also found off the coast of Australia, but is most numerous in the northern seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as in open waters Arctic seas. It is here in northern latitudes, it reaches record sizes. IN warm seas cyanea does not take root, and if it does penetrate into softer climatic zones, then it does not grow more than half a meter in diameter.
In 1865, a huge jellyfish with a dome diameter of 2.29 meters and a length of tentacles reaching 37 meters was thrown onto the shore of Massachusetts Bay (the North Atlantic coast of the United States). This is the largest specimen of giant cyanide, the measurement of which is documented.

The body of cyanea has a variety of colors, with a predominance of red and brown tones. In adult specimens upper part the dome is yellowish, and its edges are red. The oral lobes are crimson-red, the marginal tentacles are light, pink and purple. Juveniles are much brighter in color.
Cyans have many extremely sticky tentacles. All of them are grouped into 8 groups. Each group contains 65-150 tentacles inside, arranged in a row. The dome of the jellyfish is also divided into 8 parts, giving it the appearance of an eight-pointed star.

Cyanea capillata jellyfish are both male and female. During fertilization, cyanea males release mature sperm into the water through their mouths, from where they penetrate into the brood chambers located in the females' oral lobes, where fertilization of the eggs and their development occur. Next, the planula larvae leave the brood chambers and swim in the water column for several days.

Having attached to the substrate, the larva transforms into a single polyp - a scyphistoma, which actively feeds, increases in size and can reproduce asexually, budding from itself daughter scyphists.

In the spring, the process of transverse division of the scyphistoma begins - strobilation and the larvae of jellyfish are formed. They look like transparent stars with eight rays, they do not have marginal tentacles or mouth lobes. The ethers break away from the scyphistoma and float away, and by mid-summer they gradually turn into jellyfish.

Most of the time, cyanea hover in the surface layer of water, periodically contracting the dome and flapping its edge blades. The tentacles of the jellyfish are straightened and extended to their full length, forming a dense trapping net under the dome. Cyaneas are predators. Long, numerous tentacles are densely packed with stinging cells. When they are fired, a strong poison penetrates the victim's body, killing small animals and causing significant damage to larger ones. Cyanides prey on various planktonic organisms, including other jellyfish, and sometimes small fish that stick to the tentacles.

Although Arctic cyanea is poisonous to humans, its poison is not so powerful as to lead to death, although one case of death from the poison of this jellyfish has been recorded in the world. It can cause an allergic reaction and possibly a skin rash. And at the point where the jellyfish’s tentacles touch the skin, a person can get a burn and subsequent redness of the skin, which goes away over time.

Creatures Sea inhabitants differ in shape, size, color and behavior. In populations sea ​​creatures, of impressive size, one of the leading places is occupied by the largest jellyfish in the world; the photo of this beauty is probably familiar to many.

Atlantic cyanea lives in temperate and cool waters Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic seas. Sometimes it can be seen off the coast of Australia. IN warm water jellyfish don't grow up to large sizes or does not survive at all. But in the cold northern sea ​​depths it reaches impressive sizes:

• main body – 2.5 meters;
• peculiar tentacles - 35 meters.

Appearance

Jellyfish is very beautiful. The outer part of the dome has a darkish tint, consisting of brown and dark red stains. The older the individual, the richer its body. Young cyanides have a bright orange color interspersed with brown shades.

The body of the jellyfish is divided into 8 parts, resembling petals in shape. Pink and purple tentacles are located in groups of 50 to 120 pieces along the border line of the petals. Each tentacle is equipped with a set of stinging cells, which gives it the ability to quickly kill its prey.

All the time the jellyfish hovers in the water, contracting the muscles of the dome and making occasional flapping movements with its wings located at the edges.

According to the researchers, the jellyfish is presented in several species, but no one was able to clarify their number; disputes continue to this day. On at the moment Blue and Japanese cyanides have been studied, but they are much smaller in size than the Atlantic.

Reproduction

The cyanea jellyfish is female and male. Males in mating season They fertilize females through water. Sperm released from the oral passages swim into openings on the female’s body, intended for bearing offspring. The finished larvae spend several days swimming freely, after which they attach to the substrate. From this moment their growth begins. With the arrival of spring, they detach and swim away to feed on their own. The babies look like stars with a transparent body and the absence of marginal tentacles. In summer, cyanea fry form into fully developed jellyfish.

Nutrition

Cyanea belongs to the species of predators. The jellyfish keeps its numerous tentacles spread out, forming a trapping net. The creatures hunt plankton and fish fry. The largest jellyfish in the world has a genetic predisposition to cannibalism - it can eat small relatives; a photo of developed tentacles indicates the ability to instantly kill small prey and cause serious damage to large animals.

The largest jellyfish in the world, a photo of which will help you recognize it when you meet it, is not particularly dangerous for humans. The maximum harm that cyanea can cause is a burn that goes away quickly and an allergic reaction to toxic substances, injected upon bite. Deaths after an encounter with a jellyfish was not recorded.

Arctic cyanea is the largest jellyfish in the world. It is also called hairy cyanea and lion's mane. The length of the tentacles of the Arctic cyanide reaches 37 meters, making it the longest animal on the planet. At the same time, the diameter of the dome of this “jellyfish” is 2.5 meters, and the bright colors of the body make it the undisputed queen of the deep sea.

If you pay attention to the Latin name of the Arctic cyanide, then the first word - Cyanos - means “blue” in translation, and the second - capillus - hair or thin process, that is, the Latin name in translation means that in front of you is a “blue-haired” jellyfish. It is also interesting that, according to the biological “price list,” Arctic cyanea belongs to the scyphoid jellyfish of the order Discomedusae.

Still, there are several types of cyanides in the world. Although their exact number has not yet been determined, at present they distinguish not only Arctic cyanea, but also blue cyanea (Suapea lamarckii), as well as Japanese cyanea (Suapea capillata nozakii), which are significantly inferior in size to the giant “lion’s mane” .

According to experts, the diameter of the Atlantic cyanide reaches 2.5 meters. And if you compare this type cyanium with the blue whale, which is often cited as an example when determining the longest animal, then the blue whale can reach a length of 30 meters (weighing 180 tons), and the Arctic cyanea grows up to 37 meters, which allows it to be the longest animal on our planet. planet.

Arctic cyanide lives in cold and moderately cold waters. It can be found off the coast of Australia, but most of all it prefers northern seas Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In addition, she also feels great in the open waters of the Arctic seas. Proof of this is that in northern latitudes it reaches its greatest size. But in warm seas, Arctic cyanide does not take root, and if it makes its way into milder climatic zones, it grows no more than 1.5 meters in diameter.

There is a known case when a huge arctic cyanide washed up on the shore of Massachusetts Bay, on the North Atlantic coast of the United States, in 1865, which with all its tentacles was 37 meters long, and the diameter of its dome was 2.29 meters. This is the largest jellyfish, the size of which has been documented.

The body of the Arctic cyanide is distinguished by its varied coloring, in which red and brown tones predominate. Adults, as a rule, are colored like this: the upper part of their dome is yellowish, and its edges are pink-red. At the same time, it looks very beautiful that the oral lobes against this background have a crimson-red color, and the marginal tentacles are decorated in pink to purple shades. In addition, it is believed that young cyanias have a brighter color.

Arctic cyanides have many very sticky tentacles, which are grouped into eight groups of 65 to 150 tentacles arranged in a row. The dome of such a beauty is also divided into eight parts, which gives the jellyfish the appearance of an eight-pointed star.

And since Arctic cyanides can be either female or male, the process of giving birth to children is very interesting. So, during fertilization, males seem to “kiss” females from a distance, that is, they throw sperm from their mouths into the water, which fall into the females’ oral lobes, where there are special brood chambers in which fertilization and development of eggs occurs.

Over time, planula larvae emerge from the brood chambers and swim in the water for several days. Then each of them attaches to the substrate and transforms into a single polyp, which, in turn, also begins to actively feed and increase in size. Uniquely, it can reproduce asexually by budding off other scyphists.

With the onset of the warm season, the mechanism of transverse division of the scyphistoma is triggered, which leads to the formation of a jellyfish larva. At that time, small “jellyfish” look like transparent glass stars with eight rays. So far they have neither marginal tentacles nor oral lobes. Such stars swim in the water, and by mid-summer they gradually become more and more like real jellyfish.

The main activity of arctic cyanides is leisurely soaring in the surface layer of water, where they periodically contract their canopy and make spectacular flapping movements with their edge blades. At the same time, the tentacles of the jellyfish are extended to their full length and form a dense practical trapping network.

All cyanides are predators. With the help of their long and numerous tentacles, they catch prey, and they are helped by a strong poison, which almost immediately kills small animals and causes significant harm to larger individuals. This poison is found in the stinging cells with which the tentacles of the jellyfish are densely packed. Such poison is shot into the body of the victims, which the arctic cyanide then absorbs.

Huge jellyfish prey on various plankton, including smaller jellyfish and small fish. Arctic cyanea is also dangerous for humans, although its poison is not considered fatal to humans. However, cases of human death from such a jellyfish have still been recorded. But most often death occurs from the strongest allergic reaction. In other cases, at the site of contact, a person experiences slight redness or a burn, which goes away over time.