Jellyfish "lion's mane" and other dangerous representatives of the sea depths

Going to distant countries to relax and soak up the seaside-ocean, be extremely careful - in the depths of the water often hides an uncharted and very dangerous world. One of its brightest inhabitants can rightly be considered a jellyfish "lion's mane", which differs from other brethren in giant sizes and striking beauty. However, its splendor makes not only admire, but also die of horror. What can turn out for a person to meet with such an inhabitant of the underwater kingdom?

general description

Medusa "lion's mane" is considered the largest existing representative of its subspecies. Its colorful name is due to a specific appearance - long tangled tentacles really resemble the mane of the king of beasts. Individuals have a very bright color, which directly depends on their size. Large specimens are rich in raspberry or purple, and smaller ones have an orange or golden color. The tentacles, which are in the center of the bell, also have a very bright color, and at the edges - pale silver.

Dimensions

What size does the hairy cyanide have, and this is how the main name of the "lion's mane" sounds? The largest specimen that happened to observe a person was found in the USA in the late 19th century (1870). The body of this giant had a diameter of about 2 meters 29 centimeters, and the tentacles extended by 37 meters, exceeding even the blue whale in size. It is believed that the bell can reach 2.5 m, but most often it does not exceed 200 centimeters. An important point: the farther south the jellyfish lives, the smaller the diameter of its body. As for the tentacles, they can stretch for as much as 30 meters, but the weight of individual cyanides reaches a fantastic mark of 300 kilograms.

Distribution area

Medusa "lion's mane" prefers cold water, it is found near Australia, New Zealand and even the Arctic coast. The giant lives in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, but almost never rises south of 40 degrees north latitude. Recently, there are reports that the specimens appear in fairly large numbers off the coast of Japan and China.

Lifestyle

Jellyfish "lion's mane" lives mainly at a depth of about 20 meters, it leads a calm and extremely measured lifestyle, moving under the influence of various currents. However, such slowness and passivity should not lead you astray, cyanide can be very dangerous. What do jellyfish eat? The answer to this question should put everything in its place. "Lion's mane" - a real predator and excellent devour small marine animals and fishes, she does not disdain and plankton.

Like each other as drops of water jellyfish still divided by sex. In the walls of their stomach there are special bags in which the eggs and spermatozoons are ripening and waiting for their hour. Fertilization occurs through the mouth opening, the larvae mature in the tentacles of the parent in quiet, securely protected conditions. Subsequently, the larvae settle on the bottom and become polyps, from which the appendages, jellyfish, are subsequently separated.

The main danger

The unique appearance and beauty of such jellyfish, of course, make one admire it, but do not forget that such individuals can be very dangerous. The main threat is the presence of special stinging cells containing a significant amount of poison. Upon contact with a person or a living creature, capsules shoots release strings carrying dangerous substances.

The poison of the jellyfish is very dangerous both for marine inhabitants and for humans. In the latter case, of course, it does not threaten death, but serious health problems will be guaranteed to you. The consequences of communicating with her are manifested in a strong allergic reaction, itching, rash and other external manifestations. Officially documented is only one case of a person's death from contact with this giant marine representative.

Other dangerous representatives

Of course, there are other interesting representatives of this subspecies. In the nomination "The most dangerous jellyfish", a sea wasp could also win . Currently, it is found not only off the coast of Australia, but also in the popular resorts of Thailand, where it is increasingly being carried along by the passing current.

It is difficult to see it in the water, because the jellyfish is almost completely transparent. It has not such a large dome (in size resembles a basketball) and tentacles up to three meters long. The larger their size, the more dangerous the individual and the more carefully it is necessary to avoid contact with it. A large amount of poison in the shortest time causes paralysis and death, but with little contact there is a great chance that a person can get rid of painful scars and strong allergies, while remaining alive.

The competitor of the sea wasp is a "Portuguese boat", the jellyfish is very noticeable and not so deadly. It differs in a saturated blue color and the desire to swim directly at the surface of the water. Contact with such a specimen will lead to the development of allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock.

Unpleasant feelings you can give and the original luminous jellyfish. With a strong wave of the sea, they begin to glow, representing a unique beauty. By the way, from other inhabitants of its kind they are distinguished not only by a similar feature, but also by a very specific form of the fungus. What do these jellyfish eat? Their diet is very simple, it includes plankton and small fishes.