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Planet Jellies

Immerse yourself among otherworldly jellies and experience their underwater planet like never before. 

What Will You Discover?

Slip into the watery realm of the mystical jelly, where several different species — and thousands of individual jellies — put on a dazzling show of colours, shapes, and sizes before your very eyes.

Pacific Sea Nettle Pacific Sea Nettle

Pacific Sea Nettle

Pacific sea nettles form massive open ocean groups at the surface where light-fueled plankton are most abundant, especially during summer. These massive groups may become more common as jelly populations rapidly increase due to changing environmental conditions and fewer predators like sea turtles.

Diet

Zooplankton

Range

Northern Pacific Ocean

Size

Up to 12 inches wide and 180 inches long

Did You Know?

The genus name of sea nettles, Chrysaora, is derived from the Greek mythological character Chrysaor, which translates to "golden blade." With its golden bell and stinging tentacles capable of quickly neutralizing prey, Chrysaor is an apt name for this species.

Blubber Jelly Blubber Jelly

Blubber Jelly

Blubber Jellies are a relatively active species capable of propelling themselves through the water column. They lack tentacles and instead have eight clublike oral arms which collect plankton from the water column that are then transferred to one of several mouths located on each arm. These mouths transport food to their stomachs, which are located within their bell.

Diet

Plankton

Size

Up to 13 inches

Range

Indo-Pacific region

Did You Know?

Blubber jellies play a key role as recyclers in their ecosystems. By shedding mucous, they return phosphorus and nitrogen to the water so it can be taken up by plankton — re-entering the food chain these jellies rely on themselves!

Upside-down Jelly Upside-down Jelly

Upside-down Jelly

Upside-down jellies are usually found in shallow, sheltered coastal areas like lagoons and seagrass beds, especially around mangroves. Adults are typically found in groups, rhythmically pulsing to maintain their upside-down orientation against the substrate.

Diet

Zooplankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

Indo-Pacific region,Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Similar to many corals, this jelly has a symbiotic relationship with a specific type of algae that reside in their tissues and provide up to 90% of the jellies nutritional requirements by converting sunlight into energy. By orienting themselves upside-down in shallow water where the sunlight is intense, they are maximizing energy production.

Moon Jelly Moon Jelly

Moon Jelly

The medusa, or adult stage of the moon jelly, resembles a translucent, saucer-shaped dome floating through the water, with a four-leaf clover-shaped marking visible in the body's center. These clover-shaped markings are actually the reproductive organs.

Diet

Plankton

Size

Up to 16 inches

Range

North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea (likely elsewhere but may be different species)

Did You Know?

Jellies are one of the oldest multi-organ animals on Earth, with fossils dating back over 500 million years.

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

Canadian Waters

Embark on a coast-to-coast journey through freshwater wilds, local fisheries, and kelp forests, meeting more than 80 aquatic species, like sturgeon and the giant Pacific octopus, along the way!

Meet the Species
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