Facts: The Stalked Jellyfish

Stock jellyfish do not swim or drift around like most other jellyfish. Instead, they attach to algae, rocks, or seagrass via a stalk with an adhesive sucker at the base. They are mostly found in cooler regions. Many live in shallow, nearshore habitats. Around 50 species have been Stock jellyfish have an upward facing, umbrella-shaped bell with 8 arms. Each arm is tipped with a cluster of stinging tentacles. The stinging tentacles resemble pom poms and are used to catch small prey. Prey is then passed into the central mouth. Undigested remains are expelled from the mouth. The tentacles trap small worms, shrimp, copepods, and other invertebrates. In some species, there is an extra anchor-shaped tentacle between each cluster of tentacles. Stock jellyfish can move to find a more suitable location by cartwheeling with the help of the tentacles and adhesive sucker. They have no swimming stage in their life cycle. Eggs hatch into tiny larvae that settle on a surface and grow into polyps with 8 long tentacles. The polyps then transform into adults. Stock jellyfish are typically small and solitary, growing around 4 in tall. However, in the deep ocean, there are sometimes entire fields of stock jellyfish near hydrothermal vents. For more marine facts, click the SUBSCRIBE button!!