The Aurelia Jellyfish

The jellyfish Aurelia swimming near the bottom (14 m.) in Jellyfish Lake, Palau. This genus is generally found below the swarms of Mastigias, a photosynthetic (with symbionts) form, that live nearer the surface. The bottom of the Lake here consists of an algal-detrital mat that has cracked into hexagons, a phenomenon that supposed only occurs when the sediment dries out. In this case, the cracking may be due to retraction by filamentous algae.

The microbiota is understudy in Jere Lipps's lab in the Department of Integrative Biology.

Photo taken and submitted by Jere Lipps.