Jellyfish Essay

Mastigias papua, most commonly known as the “Golden Medusa” or “lagoon jelly” is one of the many jellyfishes in the class Scyphozoa. This species of jellyfish is unique because they can be found in bays, lagoons, and harbors, but are most commonly found in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. While in its habitat the jellyfish follows the sun from west to east until it reaches the shadows formed by the shore. Since this type of jellyfish has very little muscular movement by itself, it must be carried by the current of the ocean in order to actually move. When the sun finally sets it will then sink to a lower level than usual, where it can adjust to a more comfortable environment. Many things like the temperature, and salinity are very specific to the environment of the jellyfish in order to perform transverse fission or strobilation. Once it reaches a stable environment it will then perform strobilation, which is the process of reproducing asexually by budding. This process allows for the jellyfish to reproduce year-round because it requires a cooler environment to perform. Reproduction can be done either sexually, by the release
Recent research has noticed an incline in the population of the Golden Medusa, due to the decrease of predators in the area. This is a positive result for the jellyfish, but researchers fear that it could lead to an overpopulation of jellies. Researchers are also worried that the jelly population could fall due to the rising temperatures of the ocean, or global warming. This is mainly due to the fact that this type of jellyfish requires a specific environment to fully develop in. One case in 1998 saw a decrease in jellyfish populations due to the rise in salinity and temperature in lakes of Palau Island. These jellyfish are just one of the many species of aquatic ocean life that are observed and studied to better prepare and protect their