Tomato Jellyfish
Crambione mastigophora
Also known as: Edible Jellyfish, Red Bell Jellyfish, Red jellyfish, Rhizostomae Jellyfish, Sea Jellies, Sea Tomato
- Edible Jellyfish
- Red Bell Jellyfish
- Red jellyfish
- Rhizostomae Jellyfish
- Sea Jellies
- Sea Tomato
Overview
The tomato jellyfish is a strong-swimming jellyfish of the Indo-West Pacific that forms big swarms in coastal waters, and strong winds and tides can push these swarms ashore.
It lives mainly in the top 20m, drifting in coastal lagoons, bays, estuaries and shelf waters, and is often seen washed up on beaches.
They are known to move up and down through the water column. Tomato jellyfish have been photographed down to about 32m, and blackwater divers have reported them to about 60m.
They can swim strongly, but currents and tides still decide much of where they end up.
They feed on algae, invertebrates and zooplankton. Like other jellyfish they are around 95 percent water, with no heart, brain, blood or gills. The body is a bell, with tentacles and arms around the mouth that help them sense food and pass it inwards.
Notes & fun facts
- DID YOU KNOWA big swarm is sometimes called a smuck.
- DID YOU KNOWOff Western Australia the Leeuwin Current often carries swarms south along the coast.
- DID YOU KNOWSeasonal population booms can strand millions of them, on beaches from Broome in Australia to Palawan in the Philippines.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-West Pacific
- Country only · 4
Found mainly in the top 20m, drifting in coastal lagoons, bays, estuaries and shelf waters, and often seen washed up on beaches.
Adult photos 4
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumCnidaria
- classScyphozoa
- orderRhizostomeae
- familyCatostylidae
- genusCrambione
- speciesCrambione mastigophora Maas, 1903
SourcesWoRMS
More in the family
Rhizostomeae
