Wild Wednesday – Stalked jellyfish
There are several species of stalked jellyfish, scientific name, calvadosia campanulata, found along the Sussex coast in cold, shallow waters, often attached to rocks, seaweed, or seagrass.
While most jellyfish sightings in Sussex involve compass or moon jellyfish, the stalked jellyfish are more cryptic and require a keen eye to spot them.
Their stinging tentacles which they use to catch small prey, like plankton, are at the top of their body, positioned on eight arms and they grow up to five centimetres size.
Shaped like a funnel or goblet and can be red, green, or brown, often camouflaged against seaweed or seagrass, which they attach to throughout their lives. Some species have turquoise-coloured warts that store stinging cells.
Their larvae crawl along the seabed to find a suitable place to settle and transform into adults.
They are not a 'true' jellyfish as they are stationary as adults, unlike their drifting relatives. Some species can move in a cartwheeling fashion using their stalk and tentacles to reposition themselves.
Appearing sensitive to light and changes in sunlight exposure due to climate change may be affecting their population.
Photo credit to Alexander Semenov
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