A Ranking Of The Largest Jellyfish In The World
Jellyfish are widely regarded as one of the most intriguing marine organisms that the world has to offer.
Jellyfish are anything but dull, from the bell-shaped top of their bodies to the flowing tentacles that often contain venom and are used to capture their prey.
When looking at the rankings of the largest jellyfish, it is easy to see that these marine organisms are capable of reaching very large sizes as they mature.
There are interesting things to learn about jellyfish of all sizes, from the largest to the smallest. This includes jellyfish with tentacles.
Jellyfish, which are perhaps best recognized for their ability to inflict painful stings, have stinging cells on their tentacles that are armed with nematocysts.
When one of these is touched by a jellyfish, thousands of them can enter the stinger and release a potent venom. Quite often the reaction is as mild as a rash, and other times it could be so serious that it leads to cardiac arrest or even death.
Some jellyfish are not poisonous, and even among those that are poisonous, not all of them cause severe human reactions.
The best way to grasp what makes jellyfish such an interesting subject is to educate oneself on their fascinating characteristics and the many fascinating aspects of their anatomy.
A Ranking Of The Largest Species Of Jellyfish
A complete rundown of the largest jellyfish species globally can be found here.
1). Lion’s Mane Jellyfish
The Cyanea capillata, also known as the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, is the largest of all the species of jellyfish that humans have discovered.
At least according to our knowledge, the largest one in the world has a length of 120 feet, which is almost as high as a typical high-rise structure.
Sometimes, people will refer to this jellyfish as the giant jellyfish. The Lion’s Mane Jellyfish is most likely to be found in the oceans of the Northern Hemisphere, which are typically cooler.
It is most common in the Irish Sea, the English Channel, and the North Sea but can also be found in the Baltic Sea. There is little room for error in determining where they live because some populations have been found around the Gulf of Mexico.
They don’t live much deeper than the first 65 feet below the ocean’s surface, feeding on smaller fish and other marine organisms like zooplankton or smaller varieties of jellyfish. They don’t live much deeper than that.
Considering all stages of its life, including growth and reproduction, the jellyfish only lives for about a year. It is unable to reproduce in waters that have a low salinity.
The tentacles of the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish, similar to those of other species of jellyfish, contain potent neurotoxins. The jellyfish use these stinging cells to capture and immobilize its prey.
Even though people’s reactions to being stung by bees and wasps can vary widely, these neurotoxins pose a significant threat to human beings.
2). Nomura’s Jellyfish
You are aware that some people consume jellyfish, aren’t you? It turns out that Nomura’s Jellyfish is one of the varieties that can be consumed.
Tentacles from the Normura jellyfish are used in a Japanese company’s production of ice cream. Even though it doesn’t make for a particularly delicious meal, the Nemopilema nomurai is another jellyfish that ranks among the largest in the world.
The Nomura’s jellyfish can gain up to 450 pounds in just one year and grow to a length of approximately six feet on average.
This is primarily accomplished by the jellyfish’s hundreds of thousands of microscopic mouths, which it uses to consume a variety of marine organisms, primarily plankton and larger fish, as it grows larger.
They are generally found between China and Japan, where they were found for the very first time in the early 1920s. Since their discovery, the number of Nomura’s Jellyfish has significantly increased.
The East China Sea and The Yellow Sea have become more challenging to engage in the activity of fishing. The proliferation of Nomura blooms has become a cause for concern due to the enormous size and weight of the Nomura jellyfish.
This is especially true for the local fishers who are sick of hauling giant jellyfish up with their fishing nets. This is especially relevant when considering the creature’s poisonous nature.
The jellyfish found in Nomura are extremely poisonous, particularly to humans. In addition, the incidence of stings is rising due to the growing population of these insects. The effects of a sting from a Nomura’s Jellyfish can range from excruciating pain to even death.
3). Barrel Jellyfish
As it looks for food that hides in shallow waters, the largest jellyfish in the United Kingdom has the unfortunate habit of washing up unto the shore.
This happens as it searches for food. The Barrel Jellyfish has a bad habit of forgetting how large it is, which can lead to it getting itself stranded on land.
Because it can grow to be about three feet long on average, the Barrel Jellyfish frequently serves as a barrier for fish that are not as large. Some fish and even crabs of a certain size can navigate through the tentacles and find refuge within the jellyfish’s bell.
The body of the Barrel Jellyfish is shaped like a barrel, which is where it gets its name. It is also called or known by its scientific name, Rhizostoma Pulmo.
The Adriatic and the northeast Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Black Sea are where you are most likely to come across this species of jellyfish.
It can occasionally be found in the southern Atlantic but not nearly as frequently as in other regions. Since Barrel Jellyfish do not contain as much venom as other types of giant jellyfish, they do not pose the same level of danger to humans as other varieties do.
In addition, rather than having tentacles that are thin and thread-like, barrel jellyfish have eight tentacles that are thick and almost resemble arms.
This contributes to their appearance of being barrel-shaped. Even though Barrel Jellyfish are not nearly as dangerous to humans as other types of jellyfish, even one can cause severe reactions.
You may end up with ulcers, dermatitis, or even a rash. Despite this, people continue to catch and consume these jellies despite the potential health risks.
4). Stygiomedusa
Because it is so difficult to catch a glimpse of it, the Stygiomedusa jellyfish, which belongs to the family Ulmaridae and lives in the ocean’s depths, is sometimes referred to as the giant phantom jelly.
Since the beginning of this century, the elusive giant jellyfish has been spotted roughly every year on average.
Although our knowledge of Stygiomedusa is relatively limited, it is believed that they are one of the largest, if not the largest, invertebrate predators in the entire deep-sea ecosystem. This is even though our knowledge of Stygiomedusa is relatively limited.
It is anticipated that it would grow to approximately 33 feet and possess four tentacles resembling arms, much like the barrel jellyfish. From what we can tell, this enormous jellyfish feeds on relatively small fish and plankton.
Its red coloring gives it an advantage when it comes to blending in with the murky waters of the ocean’s depths. And it would appear that they are devoid of the typical stinging cells found in most jellyfish.
Therefore, their tentacles, which resemble arms, assist them in capturing and consuming their prey. According to research scientists, the jellyfish is thought to spend most of its time in the ocean’s midnight zone.
Some parts or areas of the ocean are so deep that they are known as the “midnight zone.” These parts of the ocean are between 3,200 and 13,000 feet below the surface of the water.
It is believed that these jellyfish can be found worldwide; however, they have only been spotted off the coast of Japan, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific coast of the United States.
5). Pink Meanie
Even if the name didn’t give it away, the Pink Meanie is not the most pleasant of the jellyfish species that can be found.
It is not uncommon for it to consume other species of jellyfish. The jellyfish community has recently welcomed the introduction of this slightly cannibalistic species of jellyfish.
They were found in the waters off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico in the year 2000, and it is known that they are present in South Africa in some quantity.
Although the size can vary widely, some can grow to be as long as 70 feet. Researchers have developed novel approaches to genetic analysis to confirm that the Pink Meanie is, in fact, an entirely new species of jellyfish.
At first, they assumed that it was a Drymonema dalmatinum. However, the results of the genetic tests contradicted this assertion. Pink Meanies can grow about three feet wide as adults, and their pink bells hang with hundreds of tentacles each.
The Pink Meanie is a predatory jellyfish that feeds on other, smaller species of jellyfish. It can capture multiple small jellyfish at once and entangle them in its tentacles.
It is possible for a human to feel the sting of a Pink Meanie’s tentacle stingers, even though these stingers are not as lethal as those of other large jellyfish.
And while being stung by one of these cells might not be all that painful, being stung by hundreds of them at once would be an unpleasant experience.
6). Black Sea Nettle
The Black Sea Nettle Jellyfish is a gigantic jellyfish found in the calm, deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, they were not recognized as a distinct species until 1997.
The Chrysaora achlyos, more commonly referred to as the black jellyfish, is capable of developing a bell that is three feet in diameter and tentacles that can range in length from 16 to 20 feet.
The singularly dark pigmentation of the Black Sea Nettle is the primary factor that contributes to the plant’s notoriety. They can also appear in large groups, which is when you see them as a “smack” of jellyfish.
However, when we cannot observe them, it is not entirely clear where they spend their time. Sightings are uncommon, and when you do, they almost always appear in large groups.
Zooplankton and occasionally other types of jellyfish make up the diet of black sea nettles. They use their stinging tentacles to immobilize the animals they hunt, bringing them over to their mouths.
The tentacles that are located around the mouth are the ones that are utilized most frequently for this activity. The venom-covered filaments ejected from nettles’ tentacles can kill smaller prey such as insects.
However, they are only capable of paralyzing larger prey, and they do not pose a threat to human life. However, this does not imply that being stung by one is enjoyable. It is still very painful.
The fact that so much of the Black Sea Nettle’s behavior and patterning are still a mystery is one of the species’ most intriguing characteristics.
However, it is thought that they serve as a shield for butterfish that take refuge in the bells of nettles when they perceive that danger is approaching.
7). Tiburonia Granrojo
The enthralling Tiburonia granrojo, also called Big Red on occasion, is one of the most extensive and one-of-a-kind species found anywhere in the world.
Its natural habitat is the Pacific Ocean, which can be found at depths ranging from 2,000 to 4,900 feet. They do not have tentacles like most other species of jellyfish do; rather, they develop between four to seven thick oral arms that are fleshy and somewhat short.
The name “Big Red” is appropriate for this species of jellyfish, which is entirely colored in a dark red all over its body.
Because it is so strikingly distinct from other species of jellyfish, particularly in terms of its color and arm thickness, its discovery in the late 1990s led to a great deal of consternation.
Big Red has a large, hefty bell that perfectly complements its fleshy arms. Its arms, rather than its tentacles, are what it uses to capture prey, unlike other types of jellyfish, which have venomous tentacles.
Because of this characteristic, some people refer to them as “feeding arms.” The Big Red is the only species of its kind that exists at this time.
It belongs to the family Ulmaridae and can reach a length of up to 30 inches when fully grown. It is a jellyfish that lives in the deep sea, which explains why it is so much bigger than other jellyfish of its kind.
8). Australian Box Jellyfish
And being one of the most significant types of jellyfish, the Australian Box Jellyfish are among the most popular.
Nearly everybody is familiar with the box jellyfish, and most people probably assumed that they were native to some region in or near Australia.
The Chironex fleckeri is found all over the Indo-Pacific region, but they are most prevalent in the waters off or outside of the coast of Northern Australia. They are also known as sea wasps and marine stingers.
They grow up to sixty tentacles, each as long as ten feet, in four clumps along the base of their ghostly clear bell. Each tentacle can reach a maximum length of ten feet.
Box In general, jellyfish will feed on smaller fish and crustaceans like prawns and mangroves. Their venom serves two purposes: first, it helps them capture prey, such as turtles and batfish, and second, it helps them defend themselves against those enemies.
Sea turtles may be immune to the stings of jellyfish because they are one of the primary predators of the creatures. Box Jellyfish are capable swimmers, in contrast to other species of jellyfish, which are only able to float through the water.
They can also see because their bells are covered in clusters of eyes. And because of their poisonous tentacles, they are considered the most dangerous marine animal in the world.
Box Jellyfish are extremely dangerous to human beings. Researchers in Australia in the 1940s were puzzled by an increase in swimming-related deaths that could not be explained.
This prompted them to investigate the phenomenon, which led them to discover that box jellyfish were to blame.
9). Atlantic Ocean Nettle
The Chrysaora quinquecirrha is native to the coast of the United States, specifically the Atlantic coast. It has the potential to reach a diameter of up to three feet when fully extended.
Even though it is considerably smaller than its counterpart that lives in the Pacific, the Atlantic Sea Nettle is still considered one of the world’s largest jellyfish.
The Atlantic Sea Nettle is a jellyfish that resembles most others in that it is bell-shaped and has a translucent appearance. However, the jellyfish has hints of pink and yellow, which can be seen in some light.
The diet of an Atlantic Sea Nettle is comparable to that of other species of jellyfish in that it consists of small fish, eggs, and any other form of zooplankton that it can locate. After it has finished stinging its victim, it brings the victim to its mouth to consume it.
They can almost continuously consume food. They have also been known or observed to occasionally consume crustaceans and other types of jellyfish.
Like in the case with most other species of jellyfish found all over the world, sea turtles are the primary predators of Atlantic Sea Nettles. They employ their stingers as their primary means of self-defense, rendering some potential predators unable to attack.
Even though Atlantic Sea Nettles don’t often kill humans, the nettles’ venom is dangerously toxic to us and can cause severe reactions. A human being may pass away due to an allergic reaction, even though the sting itself isn’t considered particularly dangerous.
To Sum Up
Jellyfish are widespread throughout the oceans of the world.
There is no telling where or when you might come across one of these enormous sea creatures in the ocean; they can be found anywhere from the deepest parts of the ocean to the shallow waters along the coast.
Even if they are fascinating and stunning to look at, it is in everyone’s best interest if you maintain a safe distance and observe them from there.
Questions People Also Ask: (FAQs)
Is The Blue Whale A Larger Animal Than The Lion’s Mane Jellyfish?
Jellyfish Scales in the Shape of a Lion’s Mane
It holds the record for the longest length ever recorded for a jellyfish, measuring 36.6 meters (120 feet).
This indicates that the length of the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish is greater than that of the Blue Whale. Because it has been around for 650 million years, this jellyfish has been around for a significant amount of time longer than the great blue whale.
What Other Types Of Jellyfish Are Bigger Than Lion’s Mane Jellyfish?
Runners-up for the title of largest jellyfish in the world
There are frequent sightings of Nomura’s Jellyfish, which are significantly larger than lion’s mane jellyfish.
In some areas of Asia, even though they do not have a particularly pleasant flavor, the tentacles of these creatures can be poisonous.
Are Lion’s Mane Jellyfish Safe For Human Consumption?
Lion’s mane jellyfish, like many other jellyfish, have long tentacles that they can extend to defend themselves and reach out for food.
Tentacles like these can inflict excruciating pain on humans with their painful stings. Although the sting of a lion’s mane jellyfish does not contain toxins, it has been known to provoke severe allergic reactions in certain individuals.
Which Species Of Jellyfish Is The Most Dangerous?
Jellyfish known as box jellies
The box jellyfish is not only the most dangerous species of jellyfish in the world but also among the marine world’s most dangerous animals overall.
Even though they are difficult to avoid, it is best to be prepared for the possibility that you or someone in your immediate vicinity will be stung by a box jellyfish by being familiar with the symptoms of a box jellyfish sting.
Do Jellyfish Have The Potential To Live Forever?
Researchers have discovered a species of jellyfish that can live indefinitely. The Immortal Jellyfish, also known as Turritopsis dohrnii according to its scientific name, is now recognized as the only immortal living creature in the world.
It turns out that merely living a long life is not the key to unlocking the secret to eternal life.
Is There Any Jellyfish That Has Become Extinct?
Off the coast of Queensland in Australia, a large species of jellyfish that was thought to have been out of existence for a very long time but has been found to possess an extremely potent sting has been discovered.
The elusive Crambione cookii was not seen again after 1910, the last time it was seen.
Moon Jellyfish — Can They Be Consumed?
It was generally agreed upon that the jellyfish was not only consumable but also quite delicious.
What Type Of Jellyfish Sting Is The Most Excruciating?
The stings of the Irukandji jellyfish are so painful that they can potentially cause fatal brain hemorrhages and send between fifty and one hundred people to the hospital each year on average.
According to Robert Drewe, the venom is “one thousand times more powerful than a tarantula and one hundred times more active or potent than that of a cobra.”
Would You Be Able To Eat The Jellyfish Balls?
Jellyfish have a crisp consistency and can be eaten raw, hot, or cooked in any of those four ways.
They, in effect, take on the flavor of whatever other foods or condiments are served alongside them.
It is common practice to cut jellyfish into strips and include them in salads; however, you can also incorporate them into egg rolls, stir-fry, and sushi wraps by using them in these ways.
What Causes Jellyfish To Perish?
Seabirds, turtles, and crabs are among the marine animals that feed on jellyfish. Jellyfish are a natural food source for whales, grey triggerfish, ocean sunfish, turtles, whale sharks, crabs, and other marine animals.
However, most jellyfish are preyed upon primarily by other species of jellyfish, which can be quite diverse.
Which Animal On This Planet Has The Most Potent Poison?
That of the Box Jellyfish
The Box Jellyfish is the animal known to carry the highest level of venom. After being stung, it may only take a few minutes for someone to pass away.
There are a total of 51 box jellyfish species, four of which are extremely poisonous. These are the Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo Kingi, and Chironex Yamaguchi.
Who Or What Consumes A Jellyfish?
Ocean sunfish, grey triggerfish, turtles (especially the leatherback sea turtle), some seabirds (such as the fulmars), the whale shark, some crabs (such as the arrow and hermit crabs), and some whales are known to prey on jellyfish.
Other jellyfish predators include whale sharks, some crabs (such as the hermit crab), and some whales (such as the humpbacks).
I’ve Always Wondered, Do Jellyfish Have Eyes?
There are six eye clusters on the jellyfish. Each has a pair of more complex, lensed eyes in addition to four very simple eyes that consist of pits filled with pigment designed to capture light.
How Do Jellyfish Give Birth?
Jellyfish, like butterflies, are produced through asexual reproduction from polyps, which, in contrast to caterpillars, can survive for a significantly longer period. However, unlike butterflies, polyps do not undergo metamorphosis.
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