Golden Jellyfish
Scientific name: Mastigias papua etpisoni
Description: Golden jellyfish have an opaque white and pastel yellow bell giving it a golden color. The jelly has suboral arms lacking the distinctive clubs many jellies have and mildly stinging appendages. Golden jellyfish can grow up to 1 cm per week in diameter and can reach up to 5.5 inches in size. This species is only found in Indo-pacific marine lakes. Zooxanthellae, a symbiotic green algae, lives inside the jelly providing it with food. Therefore, it’s very important they spend most of their time in the sun. They also feed on zooplankton in the lakes.
Fun Facts:
- The golden jellyfish chases sunlight back and forth across the lake in order for the the algae to make food whjile simultaneously churning the water in the lake.
- The golden jellyfish stays away from the dark coastal areas of the lake where its predator, the anemone, waits for a meal.
