Species · GBIF taxon 2267514
Crystal Jelly
Aequorea victoriaAlso known as Water Jelly, Many-ribbed Jelly, Crystal Jellyfish
Crystal jellies are elegant, translucent hydrozoans famous for their delicate, umbrella-like bells fringed with up to a hundred slender tentacles. They drift gracefully through coastal Pacific waters, glowing with a soft green bioluminescence when disturbed or agitated. This remarkable glowing ability led to the discovery of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), a revolutionary tool in modern biomedical research.
BioluminescentTranslucentCoastal
Licensed referenceMagic5227 at English Wikipedia / Public domain · cc0
- diet
- Soft-bodied zooplankton, copepods, larval fish, and other small jellyfish
- family
- Aequoreidae
- threats
- Ocean acidification, warming sea temperatures, and coastal pollution
- life Span
- 6 months to 1 year
NE
Safe to observe; their mild sting is generally imperceptible to humans.
- Night Viewing: Look for them from docks or boats on dark nights, gently swirling the water to trigger their green bioluminescent glow.
- Gentle Drift: Observe their delicate forms in calm bays and harbors during late summer when populations peak.
- Avoid Touching: Keep a respectful distance to protect their fragile, watery bodies from tearing.