Porifera and Cnidaria by Avery Desrosiers

Bioluminescence in Jellyfish

averydes — 2023-10-18 11:26:14 UTC

Many organisms within the Phylum Cnidaria are capable of Bioluminescence which means they can produce light. Bioluminescence is a unique trait which is only seen in a few organisms such as certain species of insects, annelids and fungi. This feature mostly occurs in marine animals as a means of communication, predator defence, and finding prey since many areas in the ocean are too deep for sunlight to reach.

All bioluminescence comes from energy released from a chemical reaction. In this reaction, two types of chemicals, called luciferin and luciferase, combine together to produce light.

I think this trait is interesting because it is a characteristic that is rare for organisms to have. It is an interesting adaptation to solve the problem of darkness deep in the ocean because I can imagine it would be difficult to live with no light whatsoever. It is also cool that this light can be in a variety of colours depending on the chemical reaction!

Jellyfish

2024-02-21 16:01:54 UTC

Jellyfish do not have a single, centralized brain. Instead, they have a very basic, radially distributed nervous system that is adapted to their own unique body plan.

They are also 95% water.

Due to these facts, jellyfish are not capable of many things humans are. For example, they cannot feel pain, experience emotions, nor are they sentient/aware of their own existence.

The Immortal Jellyfish

2024-02-21 16:02:51 UTC

The way this jellyfish can be immortal is because it replicates it's body in a repeated cycle, thus creating immortality.

We found this topic interesting because they would never die which some scientists have tried to do similar things with humans

JELLYFISH STINGS 🪼

2024-02-21 16:04:23 UTC

Some jellyfish have an ability to sting, using things called nematocysts, which are inside the stinging cells of a jellyfish, they are small capsules that contain barbed structure which delivers the sting, which is venom produced by the jellyfish🫨🫨🤯🤯. Jellyfish have this ability as a defence system from potential predators. They can also do this in order to catch small organisms in their ‘tentacles’ by stinging them to stun them and then eat away.

This is interesting to me that how such floppy squishy creatures can have such an affecting ability to others. I imagine that they are like a bunch of bees stinging you at once since they are all little barbs with venom.

How jellyfish affects other organisms

2024-02-21 16:06:07 UTC

There is a symbiotic relationship between some jellyfish and small fishes, and they both benefit by the jellyfish providing habitats and fish acting as a bait which attracts food for the jellyfish.

It is interesting because two animals are using each other’s characteristics effectively, and filling out each other’s needs.

Glowing Sucker Octopus Bioluminescence purpose

2024-02-21 16:06:09 UTC

The function of bioluminescence is the glowing sucker octopus is to attract planktonic crustaceans with defence strategy to scare predators. This is interesting because it shows bioluminescence as a predator Ila action rather than a defensive action like shown primarily in the video we watched.

Here is photografting shown above 🥺🥺

Portuguese Man o’ War

2024-02-21 16:07:43 UTC

Physalia physalis is an aquatic creature that can be found on every coast except for the arctic.

Although this organism looks very alike to a jellyfish it is not one. They are siphonophores, a group of individual specialized working together as a unit.

With a name like man o war you would think they are an apex predator but they are no where near it. One of the man o war’s main predators is a purple slug.

Man o war do not have a way of propulsion and rely on current and tide to push them to their prey. They have long tentacle like arms that are extremely painful to humans and deadly to other aquatic life.