There are more than 2000 identified types of jellyfish, but there are thought to be thousands more in the depths of the ocean. These beautiful creatures have been around for more than 650 million years. That’s a long time.
Unless you’ve been stung by a jellyfish or watched them floating luminescent upon the water, you’ve probably seldom considered these amazing creatures. As this infographic shows, they have no blood, bones, or organs. Although, some species of jellyfish do have eyes. The box jellyfish has 24 eyes with 360° vision and this enormous creature is capable of killing a man with its venom.
Jellyfish are not the strangest creatures in the ocean, but they are in a class of their own. They are comprised of more than 90% water. They can grow to enormous sizes with tentacles up to fifty meters long and a body as big as 8 meters across.
They are also some of the most colorful creatures in the ocean and they live in all the oceans, from the arctic to the tropics. Surprisingly, jellyfish are not fish. Fish have gills and a backbone, but jellyfish absorb oxygen through their skin so they need no gills.
It’s never a good idea to touch a jellyfish as their skin can contain toxins even after they’ve died. A jellyfish sting is not something you’ll forget in a hurry.