Upsidedown Jelly

Cassiopea andromeda

''Cassiopea andromeda'' is a type of jellyfish that usually lives in intertidal sand or mud flats, shallow lagoons, and around mangroves. This jellyfish, many times mistaken for a sea anemone, usually has its mouth upward on the bottom. Its bell, which is yellow-brown with streaks and spots that are white or pale, vibrates to make the water flow through its arms for respiration and the obtaining of food.
Upside Down Jellyfish Malapascua, Philippines (2012). This jellyfish, many times mistaken for a sea anemone, usually has its mouth upward on the bottom. Its bell, which is yellow-brown with streaks and spots that are white or pale, vibrates to make the water flow through its arms for respiration and the obtaining of food.This jellyfish can measure the maximum of 30.0 cm wide. This jellyfish also lives in a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellate algae, the Zooxanthellae, and with shrimps. The Zooxanthellae live in the tissues of the ventral surface of its body and it is the responsible for the color of it. As the Zooxanthellaeon gets food for the Cassiopea andromeda, in response, it gets the sunlight that is necessary for the photosynthetic dinoflagellate algae. Therefore, the shrimp has a different symbiotic relationship with this jellyfish. It lives in its tentacles and protects it by taking the parasites off. In exchange, the Cassiopea andromeda mainly offers protection to the shrimp from the environment. This symbiotic relationship is called mutualism, where both species benefit from their interactions. Habitat: Is a type of jellyfish that usually lives in intertidal sand or mud flats, shallow lagoons, and around mangroves. Cassiopea andromeda,Fall,Geotagged,Philippines

Reproduction

As a cnidarian, this jellyfish has an asexual and sexual reproduction. It reproduces by budding when it is in a polyp form. When it is in a medusa form, it reproduces sexually. The medusa female produces the eggs and keep them. As the male produces the sperm and releases them in the water, the female uses its tentacles to bring the sperm to fertilize its eggs.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionCnidaria
ClassScyphozoa
OrderRhizostomeae
FamilyCassiopeidae
GenusCassiopea
SpeciesC. andromeda
Photographed in
Indonesia
Philippines