The Collective Moon Jellyfish

The mesmerizing gathering of gelatinous organisms is a bloom of Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita). From my long career studying the…

The mesmerizing gathering of gelatinous organisms is a bloom of Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita). From my long career studying the ocean's inhabitants, I can tell you that few sights are as stunning as a large group of these cnidarians pulsating in unison. The soft, ghostly blue light radiating from their translucent bells makes them look like celestial bodies floating in space. Each individual is identifiable by the four circular gonads visible within its bell. They are gentle creatures, relying on tiny, hair-like tentacles to filter plankton from the water column. While their movement may seem random, their collective presence in a dense group, known as a bloom, plays a vital role in marine food webs. This large gathering showcases their simple yet incredibly effective design and their power in numbers.