Lion's mane jellyfish, sea blubber • Cyanea capillata • Heiltsuk/Haíɫzaqv - H̓a̓úqváyáx
Photos by Jessica Brown (left),, ES 470 participant (top right), Paula Crozier (bottom right).
Identification
Lion's mane jellyfish, or sea blubber, is typically orangey-red, although it can also be yellow, rose, violet, and even white (see above). The species has 8 groups of 70-150 tentacles that can reach from 9 m to 36 m. The bell is typically 20 cm or more across, although the largest specimen recorded was 2.5 m. This specimen earned the species the title of largest jellyfish in the world. Click here for more photos of this species.
Habitat & Range
The lion's mane jellyfish is ubiquitous in BC's coastal waters, and is found in the Atlantic as well. It is a cold water species, and is not found in southern or equatorial regions with warm waters.
Similar Species
The lion's mane jellyfish is distinguished from the similar fried egg jelly (Phacellophora camtschatica) by the eight large pairs of lobes that edge the former's bell margin. The sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) has far fewer tentacles (24).
Intriguing Info
Stings from the tentacles will definitely hurt, leaving pain and redness in the area of contact, but they are not generally lethal. The tentacles of a dead jellyfish can still sting. While the lion's mane jellyfish is the largest species in the world, it is not nearly as large as it appears in a series of fake photographs that have been circulating the internet. Click here to see the fake photo.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/154711-Cyanea
Lion's mane jellyfish, or sea blubber, is typically orangey-red, although it can also be yellow, rose, violet, and even white (see above). The species has 8 groups of 70-150 tentacles that can reach from 9 m to 36 m. The bell is typically 20 cm or more across, although the largest specimen recorded was 2.5 m. This specimen earned the species the title of largest jellyfish in the world. Click here for more photos of this species.
Habitat & Range
The lion's mane jellyfish is ubiquitous in BC's coastal waters, and is found in the Atlantic as well. It is a cold water species, and is not found in southern or equatorial regions with warm waters.
Similar Species
The lion's mane jellyfish is distinguished from the similar fried egg jelly (Phacellophora camtschatica) by the eight large pairs of lobes that edge the former's bell margin. The sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) has far fewer tentacles (24).
Intriguing Info
Stings from the tentacles will definitely hurt, leaving pain and redness in the area of contact, but they are not generally lethal. The tentacles of a dead jellyfish can still sting. While the lion's mane jellyfish is the largest species in the world, it is not nearly as large as it appears in a series of fake photographs that have been circulating the internet. Click here to see the fake photo.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/154711-Cyanea
References
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 48
Kennedy, J. (n.d.). Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata). Accessed 02/08/13.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 48
Kennedy, J. (n.d.). Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata). Accessed 02/08/13.
Authors and editors of page
Chanda Brietzke and Brian Starzomski (2013).