Addy Fox

Cyanea Capillata: The Coolest, Literally

The Lion’s Mane Jellyfish notably ‘Arctic sea jellies’ has made a sensational appearance in literature, most notably in Sherlock Holmes’s ‘The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane.’ However, lion’s mane jellyfish is nowhere close to as dangerous as it is made out to be in popular culture. A sting from the lion’s mane jellyfish is not only incapable of causing human deaths; all it does is cause an itchy rash and mild burning sensation. Although the rash can be painful for sensitive individuals and the toxins in the venom may cause an allergic reaction, the stings from a lion’s mane jellyfish can be treated by application of vinegar.

However, lion’s mane jellyfish are very interesting marine creatures. To begin with, they live in the harshest weather conditions. They are found in the freezing cold waters of the Arctic Ocean and Northern Pacific Ocean during the coldest months of the year. They rarely descend below 42 degrees latitude and are not found in the southern hemisphere at all.

The lion’s mane jellyfish can attain enormous size. In fact, the largest Lion’s Mane jellyfish is not merely the largest species of jellyfish in the world; it is the largest animal in the world. The one specimen of Lion’s Mane which was found in Massachusetts Bay in 1870 was over 7 feet in diameter and its tentacles were longer than 120 feet in length.

However, the bell of the Artic Lion’s Mane is known to be able to grow up to 8 feet in diameter, and their tentacles can acquire the length of 150 feet. That is much longer than blue whale, which is generally thought to be the largest animal in the world.

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(Source: ikenbot)