The Fried Egg Jellyfish

The organism gracefully navigating the clear, turquoise water is a Fried Egg Jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata). With decades of…

The organism gracefully navigating the clear, turquoise water is a Fried Egg Jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata). With decades of experience observing life in the sea, I find this particular species to be one of the most charming. It gets its common name from the distinct, yellow-orange dome on top of its body, which resembles an egg yolk, while the rest of its bell is a semi-transparent white. This jellyfish is a peaceful drifter, often found in the calm, warm waters of the Mediterranean. Its oral arms are not long and thin but rather a compact, frilly mass adorned with small, colorful appendages. A unique and fascinating aspect of this species is its tendency to host small fish, which find refuge from predators among its stinging appendages without being harmed.