Upside-down jellyfish

Cassiopea andromeda

Size: 8–30 cm · 20–500 g
Diet: Filter Feeder
Activity: Diurnal
Sociality: Loose group
Lifespan: about 1 year

The upside-down jellyfish rests bell-down on shallow bottoms. Its upward-facing arms hold symbiotic algae, letting it use both sunlight and suspended food.

View in catalog

Key facts

Upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda) is a filter feeder animal classified as Invertebrate · Rhizostomeae · Cassiopeidae.
Primary habitats are coast · open ocean · coral reef, with a range across Indian Ocean · Pacific Ocean · Atlantic Ocean.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is loose group, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The upside-down jellyfish rests bell-down on shallow bottoms.
It inhabits warm coasts, lagoons, mangrove shallows, and reefs in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans.
Typical lifespan: about 1 year

Sources

wikidata.org

Range

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Details

Habitat

It inhabits warm coasts, lagoons, mangrove shallows, and reefs in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Sunlit, sheltered sand or mud is typical.

Appearance

Bell diameter 8-30 cm; weight 20-500 g. The flattened bell lies downward while branching oral arms spread upward. Brown or green tones come largely from symbiotic algae.

Behavior

Diurnal and loosely gregarious, it lies inverted to expose algae to light. Pulsing moves water, and mucus can be released into the surrounding water.

Feeding

A filter-feeder, it catches tiny particles and plankton with oral arms and mucus. Photosynthetic products from algae also provide major nutrition.

Reproduction

Sexual reproduction produces larvae that settle as polyps. Polyps release small jellyfish that grow on shallow bottoms.

Notes

It is listed as Least Concern. Dense blooms can cause mild stinging sensations for swimmers in shallow water.