Jellyfish have no brain, heart or bones, and their bodies are mostly water, yet they have drifted through the oceans for hundreds of millions of years. Their trailing tentacles carry stinging cells that capture tiny prey. A jellyfish’s life is surprisingly complex, switching between a small polyp attached to the seafloor and the free-swimming bell most people recognize. Our guide to the jellyfish life cycle explains each stage, how jellyfish die, and other fascinating facts.
What have you heard about the jellyfish life cycle? Most likely, when you see a jellyfish, you picture a translucent, bell-shaped creature with long, slender tentacles. Although famous, it simply represents the “Medusa” phase of a true scyphozoan jellyfish before it expires. Teachers and students: you’re welcome to use this diagram in lessons and projects…