 |
| Immortal Jellyfish |
Immortal Jellyfish | Facts About Jellyfish That Never Die
This is a unique jellyfish species named immortal jellyfish and it is scientifically known as Turritopsis dohrnii. This jellyfish is one of the very few animals that have biological immortality. This jellyfish has spread around the world due to a phenomenon called ballast water discharge from the Pacific Ocean.
This jellyfish has demonstrated the ability to transform itself into its birth only in its experiment and scientists are unable to find out whether this jellyfish can actually live forever in nature. Due to this amazing ability of aging of this unique jellyfish, it is also known by the nickname Benjamin Button of the sea.
The life cycle of this jellyfish is endless which means that it has no end because this jellyfish has the ability to transform itself into its rebirth when it gets injured or sick. But this jellyfish is not invincible because if it is eaten then it dies before reaching the adult stage.
The interesting fact is that these jellyfish reach adulthood and come back to their birth form many times throughout their life so it is impossible to measure the age of immortal jellyfish. But these jellyfish can never die and because of their ability they can have a never ending life cycle.
This means that these jellyfish are immortal so their name is immortal jellyfish and their immortality does not mean invincibility because it will not survive if eaten by other animals. Let's know about the secret of immortality of immortal jellyfish and start this article,
Where Is The Immortal Jellyfish Found
The immortal jellyfish is also known as the Benjamin Button jellyfish due to its ability to regenerate. This jellyfish was first discovered in the Mediterranean Sea and due to its resemblance to other jellyfish, the immortal jellyfish was mistaken for Turritopsis nutricula. Because earlier it was not known that these are different species.
After scientists discovered how to distinguish the immortal jellyfish from Turritopsis nutricula, the immortal jellyfish was discovered more often and it was seen in saltwater oceans and coastal areas. Apart from this, immortal jellyfish has also been seen in areas around the country of Japan.
This jellyfish is mostly mistaken for another jellyfish species known as Turritopsis nutricula. But one feature of this jellyfish that distinguishes it from Turritopsis nutricula is its ability to revive itself when injured.
An immortal jellyfish can completely revert to its adult form. Not only this, this jellyfish can become an adult again and this process is called transdifferentiation which can be repeated by immortal jellyfish many times. Apart from this, it lives in temperate or tropical oceans.
Like other jellyfish, immortal jellyfish feed on plankton, fish eggs and small marine organisms. Other jellyfish use their tentacles for hunting. Immortal jellyfish have a variety of predators ranging from other jellyfish species to sharks and sea turtles.
Scientific Name Of Immortal Jellyfish
The scientific name of immortal jellyfish is Turritopsis Dohrnii and immortal jellyfish Turritopsis dohrnii is an arthropod that comes from the kingdom Animalia whose class is considered to belong to Hydrozoa.
This jellyfish is unique in being biologically immortal. Because whenever this jellyfish feels threatened it can revert back to its polyp form and start its life cycle again.
Immortal jellyfish look very cute due to their innocent nature and these jellyfish appear harmless due to being transparent while swimming in the sea. Like other jellyfish found in the sea, immortal jellyfish also appear very soft.
95% of the body of immortal jellyfish is made up of water and you should not be fooled by their beauty because these jellyfish sting but it is not fatal.
Habitat Of Immortal Jellyfish
Immortal jellyfish live in oceans and mostly in those oceans where the water is temperate or tropical. But immortal jellyfish mostly prefers warm water and it is also found in cold areas. Immortal jellyfish is mostly seen on the surface of oceans or on the sea floor.
The life cycle of the immortal jellyfish has 2 main stages which are polyp and medusae. This jellyfish starts its life as a polyp which can be compared to the baby stage in humans.
In the polyp stage a polyp clones itself and then forms a colony called hydroid. It is capable of forming countless clones in a few days and while living together in the hydroid colony, many of these polyps grow up and turn into medusae which is an adult form of jellyfish.
In the medusae stage they are no longer sexually immature and are capable of reproducing. After reaching the medusae stage they leave the colony and become mobile and solitary creatures and reproduce.
If successful in reproduction, fertilized eggs will be obtained. The fertilized eggs will turn into a tiny larva called planula which will sink to the sea floor and stick to a solid surface. After the larva develops into a polyp, the cycle will begin once again in the colony called hydroid. Read- Lungfish | Interesting facts about fish live out of water
 |
| Immortal Jellyfish |
What Does The Immortal Jellyfish Look Like
Immortal jellyfish are invisible in appearance and their shape looks like a transparent bell with 90 white tentacles on the outside. Apart from this, immortal jellyfish have a bright red abdomen.
Turritopsis nutricula is about 6.35 mm in size and the immortal jellyfish is 4.5 mm in size. Due to the similarity in appearance of the immortal jellyfish to Turritopsis nutricula, it has often been mistaken for each other.
Size Of immortal Jellyfish
When immortal jellyfish become fully adult, their size is about 4.5 mm long and wide. Young jellyfish will mostly be 1 mm long and wide but much smaller. A normal tuna is about 450 times larger than the size of an immortal jellyfish.
Turritopsis nutricula is one such species and is considered to be the same as the immortal jellyfish which is about 1.5 times larger. The weight of the immortal jellyfish has not been measured. But scientists and experts estimate that the immortal jellyfish weighs only less than 500 grams.
What Do Immortal Jellyfish Eat
The immortal jellyfish prefers to eat plankton fish eggs and small sea creatures and uses its tentacles to hunt.
How Immortal Jellyfish Reproduce
The female immortal jellyfish has reproductive glands also called gonads in which eggs are formed and developed. When the eggs are mature and ready to be fertilized they will pick up sperm floating in the ocean released by the male immortal jellyfish.
After being successfully fertilized the eggs give rise to tiny larvae known as planulae. The planulae then settle on the ocean floor and stick themselves to a solid surface such as a rock. As time passes the planulae develop into the jellyfish polyp stage and then create many clones of themselves.
The polyp and its clones live together and that community is known as a colony called a hydroid. After several weeks, the polyps develop into medusae. They will then move on to leave the colony called a hydroid to begin breeding and keep the reproductive cycle going.
How Long Do Immortal Jellyfish Live
How long do immortal jellyfish live then they can live for eternity which means they can live forever. The life cycle of immortal jellyfish will never end as the word immortal in their name suggests.
This happens until they are eaten by their predators and they can live for ages never dying. In case of any injury, illness or simply put stress, immortal jellyfish revert back through polyp.
Following that process immortal jellyfish start their new life until they encounter another life threatening event and time turns back for them.
But there is a hindrance in the regeneration of immortal jellyfish. If immortal jellyfish suffer from starvation or illness in their weakened state as polyp then their regeneration will end at that point and lead to their destruction.
If immortal jellyfish can safely regrow from their polyp stage, they may virtually live forever and their life cycle may be indefinite.
How Fast Can Immortal Jellyfish Swim
This jellyfish is a very slow-moving species and moves slowly in the ocean using its long tentacles to move forward. In such a situation, the immortal jellyfish is seen slowly moving towards its destination.
How Do Immortal Jellyfish Communicate
Unlike other jellyfish, immortal jellyfish do not have a brain. Therefore, immortal jellyfish cannot process sensory information and communicate like us. Current experiments and research conducted by scientists show that jellyfish do not communicate with each other at all.
How Many Immortal Jellyfish Are There In The World
There is no clear data yet that tells the exact number of immortal jellyfish. One of the reasons for this is the almost invisible activity of immortal jellyfish which makes them difficult to find.
The immortal jellyfish currently has a high population and is found all over the world. Therefore, there is no need to take any measures to preserve the species of immortal jellyfish as they are thriving. Read- Long-Tailed Tit Habitat And Interesting Facts With Picture
 |
| Immortal Jellyfish |
Behavior Of Immortal Jellyfish
Like other jellyfish, immortal jellyfish can sting us. But the stings of immortal jellyfish are not as deadly as those of box jellyfish. Keeping immortal jellyfish as pets is possible but not recommended.
An immortal jellyfish pet will require a separate aquarium because the venom of the immortal jellyfish will harm other fish in the aquarium water.
Immortal Jellyfish Facts For Kids
1. What are some fun facts about immortal jellyfish?
Immortal jellyfish can hit the reset button and revert to an earlier developmental stage if they are injured or in danger. Like all jellyfish, immortal jellyfish begin life as a larva called a planula that develops from a fertilized egg.
2. How do immortal jellyfish live forever?
Immortal jellyfish live forever by reversing their life cycle and transforming from an adult form into a juvenile form. This process is known as transdifferentiation and allows them to reset their cells to begin their life anew.
3. Can the immortal jellyfish be killed?
The immortal jellyfish can reverse its aging process. This jellyfish can revert to a younger form when faced with stress and it is not truly immortal in that it cannot be killed. This jellyfish can die from predation and disease factors.
4. How old is the oldest immortal jellyfish?
Immortal jellyfish can live forever. Immortal jellyfish becomes even more impressive because these jellyfish have been swimming in the oceans for about 66 million years, long before the extinction of the dinosaurs.
5. Do immortal jellyfish sleep?
Immortal jellyfish have no brains and even nothing more than a rudimentary nervous system but jellyfish do have periods of sleep. A new study has found that jellyfish go into a sleep-like state.
6. What are 5 facts about jellyfish for kids?
Jellyfish are made up of about 95% water and jellyfish do not have brains or lungs. Jellyfish are a type of cnidarian and have hydrostatic skeletons. The size of jellyfish is more than 2 meters long.
7. What do immortal jellyfish eat?
Immortal jellyfish eat plankton, larvae and fish eggs. Immortal jellyfish may be immortal but they are not immune to all dangers. Larger creatures can eat immortal jellyfish.
8. How are jellyfish immortal?
When a jellyfish's medusa is physically damaged or subjected to stress, instead of dying, it shrinks. The jellyfish reabsorbs its tentacles and loses its ability to swim in water.
9. Has any immortal jellyfish ever died?
Immortal jellyfish can still die. Most immortal jellyfish in the ocean die from predation or disease in the medusa stage without returning to the polyp form.
10. Are immortal jellyfish poisonous?
This jellyfish is used to sting its prey but it does not cause any harm to humans because jellyfish are too small in size to sting larger creatures. Immortal jellyfish has the ability to inflict a very small sting but it does not leave a poisonous mark.