One of my favorite attractions in Monterey, besides a great downtown British pub, is the Monterey Bay Aquarium…and my favorite part of aquarium is the section devoted to jellyfish. They nicknamed this section, “The Jellies Experience,” and often you will see photos from this section in their ads.
These jellyfish are known as the Pacific Sea Nettle. They are small, about the size of a small hand, and obviously quite beautiful. But, they are also quite deadly. They use their tentacles which contain thousands of barbed stingers filled with a paralyzing toxin, to catch their dinner. They don’t chase their prey, rather they catch food as it passes by. They are carnivores so they eat small fish, as well as zooplankton, small crustaceans, and other jellyfish.
While their toxin is not deadly to humans, you don’t want to be stung by one. They are quite common in the ocean off of Oregon…in fact their population is growing, much to the consternation of Oregon fisherman. They clog up fishing nets on a regular basis. But they do have their enemies. Despite having a potent sting, the Nettles are prey to many marine birds and large fish.
But you cannot deny that they are quite beautiful, especially in motion…thus making them a favorite for aquariums. I am glad my Nikon was able to capture them while moving in low light.
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