Chrysaora melanaster

Chrysaora melanaster
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Cnidaria
Class:	Scyphozoa
Order:	Semaeostomeae
Family:	Pelagiidae
Genus:	Chrysaora
Species:	C. melanaster
Binomial name
Chrysaora melanaster (Brandt, 1835)

The northern sea nettle (Chrysaora melanaster), also called a brown jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish native to the northern Pacific Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. (It is sometimes referred to as a Pacific sea nettle, but this name is also used for Chrysaora fuscescens; the name Japanese sea nettle was used for this species, but that name now exclusively means Chrysaora pacifica.^[1][2] This jelly's medusa can reach 60 centimeters in length with tentacles growing up to three meters.^[3][4] The number of tentacles is up to 24 (8 per octant).^[1] It dwells at depths of up to 100 meters, where it feeds on copepods, larvaceans, small fish, large zooplankton, and other jellies.^[4] The sting is mild, although can cause serious skin irritation and burning.^[5]

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  Japanese Sea Nettle Chrysaora pacifica

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  Japanese Sea Nettle, New England Aquarium

• Play media

  Swimming movement of the Japanese Sea Nettle, Albuquerque Aquarium

References

1. Morandini AC, Marquess AC (2011) Revision of the genus Chrysaora Péron & Lesueur, 1810 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Zootaxa 2464: 1–97
2. "Fact Sheet: Japanese Sea Nettle" (PDF). Shedd Aquarium. Retrieved January 2012.
3. CNET news, Chrysaora melanaster, from "Census of Marine Life reveals hidden life in oceans" article (October 5, 2010).
4. "Sea Nettle: Chrysaora melanaster". Census of Marine Life Arctic Ocean Diversity project. August 20, 2010.
5. "Jellies Invasion: Explore Online". National Aquarium in Baltimore. Retrieved January 2012.