Scyphozoa (jellyfishes)

Description Scyphozoa (from ancient Greek skyphos that denotes a kind of drinking cup) is a class of animals exclusively living in salt water. They typically range from 2 to 40 cm in diameter, but the largest species, Cyanea capillata can reach 2 metres across. Most species of Scyphozoa have two life history phases, including the planktonic medusa or jellyfish form, which is most evident in the warm summer months, and an inconspicuous, but longer-lived, bottom-dwelling polyp, which seasonally gives rise to new medusae. Scyphomedusae are found throughout the world’s oceans, from the surface to great depths.

Cyanea nozakii / Image may be subject to copyright