WHATSTHATFISH
Jellyfish & hydroids

Atlantic Sea Gooseberry

Pleurobrachia pileus

Also known as: Cats Eyes, Comb Jellyfish, Jellyfish, Sea Gooseberry, Sea Gooseberry Comb Jelly, Sea Grape, Sea Jellies, Sea Walnut

Adult
@epic · Monterey Bay Aquarium, United States · July 20211 / 6
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Overview

Found singly, or in swarms, swimming in open waters, sometimes in rock pools, or washed up on beaches.
Widespread Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, North Sea

The Comb Jelly is a hermaphrodite, found, in almost every ocean of the world. Their body is made up of "comb rows" eight rows of ciliary (hair) plates, used for propulsion, these generate the beautiful rainbow colours!
Despite its delicate and perhaps innocent appearance, the sea gooseberry is a voracious predator. Two retractable tentacles, sometimes reaching a length of 20 times the body diameter, are used to catch any prey that floats by! Unlike a jellyfish, comb jellies have no poison to paralyze their prey.
They in turn, are preyed on by crustaceans.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea
  • Exact location · 4
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in swarms, swimming in open waters, sometimes in rock pools, or washed up on beaches.

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Adult photos 6

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumCtenophora
    3. classTentaculata
    4. orderCydippida
    5. familyCydippidae
    6. genusPleurobrachia
    7. speciesPleurobrachia pileus (O. F. Müller, 1776)

    SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

    06

    More in the family

    Cydippida