#oceanscience

Jellyfishes!

Medusas!

These amazing marine creatures are invertebrates from the Cnidaria phylum. Inside this phylum, they are part of two of the three classes: Hydrozoa and the ‘true big jellyfishes’ the Scyphozoa Class. The big difference with the other Class (Anthozoa) is the presence of the jelly pelagic stage in the life cycle. In The organisms inside Anthozoa the only stage with movement through the water column is the larvae - part of the sexual reproductive part in spawner and brooder corals.

Jellyfishes life cycle!

Jellyfish have a fascinating life cycle, that involves multiple metamorphosis and lifestyles. Their extreme reproductive versatility is one of the reasons that they can “bloom” overnight and take over oceanic landscapes. Generally, jellyfish are gonochorists, meaning that they will have one sex. So, when mama and papa spawn their respective eggs and sperm and fertilization occurs, the happy little “planular larvae” will cruise the currents until he stumbles upon a nice piece of ground where he can settle and transform into a polyp. This polyp then grows into a “Scyphistoma” which grows and grows to evolve into a “Strobila” which you can imagine as looking as a number of strangely formed discs stacked on top of each other. At this stage asexual reproduction occurs as the Strobila sends one disc after the other of into the big wide world, at which point we ll call them “Ephyra” before they themselves turn into the magnificent medusae which we recognize as the typical Jellyfish form.

In this previous gif you can see a related organism, a Ctenophore! Same as jellyfishes, you can find these creatures in shallow, mesophotic and deep-sea environments. Between 200-500m, but scientists 🥼 have registers even at 2000m depth!

While this is the basic circular story, there are more tricks and measures that jellyfish can employ: the strobila can create little cysts when life gets hard and food gets scarce: these can indefinitely hibernate until the conditions get favourable again and it can evolve into a little polyp of its own. We know of one Jellyfish, Turiitopsis dohrnii, that can actually REVERT the direction of this circle, and once already a medusa, turn back into a polyp, in essence completely rejuvenating itself through cellular transdifferentiation when under stress. Scientists are obviously studying this phenomenon extensively- who would have thought the fountain of youth might be gelatinous?

Here you can see some jellies but also some cephalopods....what do you think...maybe our next organisms at #taxonomy Tuesday(?) 🐙

#jellyfish #stung #sciart #sciencecommunication #scicomm #scienceblogger #scienticillustration #lifecycle #marinebiology #marinescience #marinebiologist #Scyphozoa #hydrozoa #womeninstem #seaanimals

Oceanography projects let students study real problems that affect the planet.

From climate change to marine life, these projects combine science, data, and discovery.

Popular project ideas

Ocean warming trends

Plastic pollution

Plankton research

Sea level rise

Learning about the ocean starts with asking the right questions.

Oceanographic data is transforming marine conservation efforts. Scientists use data from ocean temperatures, currents, and ecosystems to identify biodiversity hotspots and protect vulnerable marine species.

From coral reefs to deep-sea habitats, every data point helps preserve the health of our oceans.

The ocean comes alive at night with glowing marine life. From jellyfish to plankton, bioluminescence creates breathtaking displays beneath the waves. But why do sea creatures glow? Some use it for defense, communication, or hunting in the dark depths of the ocean.

Dive into the mysteries of ocean bioluminescence and discover nature’s underwater light show.

The Fish With Eyes Inside Its Head: What Macropinna microstoma Teaches Us About Scientific Blind Spots

This deep-sea fish has eyes inside a transparent head — and we only discovered the truth in 2009.

The Global Ocean Conveyor Belt is more than just an ocean current, it’s a key player in our planet’s climate system. 🌊 By moving warm and cold water across the globe, it affects weather, ecosystems, and climate change. Join us in exploring how this crucial system shapes our world!

Did you know ocean data helps predict disasters like hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes? Scientists use oceanography to understand the signs and forecast dangerous events, giving communities time to prepare and stay safe.