A new-to-me observation
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:18 pm
Today, we were diving in Hood Canal, and the water was full of jellies. In particular, there were a whole bunch of large ones which appear similar to this, and I assume are a Beroe species: http://davidwrobel.zenfolio.com/p809276 ... #h398b7cca
What was cool, and totally new to me, was that they were FEEDING. And if anyone has not seen this, it's fascinating. The more pointed end of the jelly is a flat "mouth", and when they feed, it suddenly assumes a round shape, and the jelly elongated violently, sucking plankton in I assume by simple hydrostatics. I watched numerous individuals doing this today, and I was mesmerized. So the next time you're sitting around in midwater with these guys, spend some time watching them. It's pretty cool! I wish Peter had gotten the action on video, but he didn't.
What was cool, and totally new to me, was that they were FEEDING. And if anyone has not seen this, it's fascinating. The more pointed end of the jelly is a flat "mouth", and when they feed, it suddenly assumes a round shape, and the jelly elongated violently, sucking plankton in I assume by simple hydrostatics. I watched numerous individuals doing this today, and I was mesmerized. So the next time you're sitting around in midwater with these guys, spend some time watching them. It's pretty cool! I wish Peter had gotten the action on video, but he didn't.