What happens during strobilation?

A polyp divides into stacked discs that become baby jellies

How do moon jellyfish catch plankton?

With mucus on the bell that is moved to the mouth

What problem can moon jellyfish blooms cause?

Clogging cooling-water intakes at power plants

On which mission did moon jellyfish polyps fly in 1991?

A Space Shuttle Columbia mission

Moon Jellyfish Quiz: Polyps, Ephyrae and Medusae

A see-through bell with four pale rings drifts through harbors worldwide, and this moon jellyfish quiz explains its surprising life cycle. Play 10 interactive questions on Aurelia aurita, planula larvae, polyps, strobilation, ephyrae, medusae, mucus feeding, the four rings, blooms that clog power plants, predators and jellyfish in space.

Start Moon Jellyfish Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Name
What is the moon jellyfish's scientific name?
Rings
What are the four rings visible in the bell?
Larva
What hatches from a fertilized moon jellyfish egg?
Polyp
What does the larva become after settling?
Strobilation
What happens during strobilation?
Ephyra
What are the tiny star-shaped juveniles called?
Feeding
How do moon jellyfish catch plankton?
Sting
How strong is a moon jellyfish sting for humans?
Blooms
What problem can moon jellyfish blooms cause?
Space
On which mission did moon jellyfish polyps fly in 1991?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What is the moon jellyfish's scientific name?
Answer: Aurelia aurita
It lives in oceans worldwide.
Q2: What are the four rings visible in the bell?
Answer: Reproductive organs
They often look pink or purple.
Q3: What hatches from a fertilized moon jellyfish egg?
Answer: A planula larva
It swims before settling.
Q4: What does the larva become after settling?
Answer: A polyp attached to a surface
Polyps can live for years.
Q5: What happens during strobilation?
Answer: A polyp divides into stacked discs that become baby jellies
It looks like a stack of plates.
Q6: What are the tiny star-shaped juveniles called?
Answer: Ephyrae
They grow into adult medusae.
Q7: How do moon jellyfish catch plankton?
Answer: With mucus on the bell that is moved to the mouth
Short tentacles help.
Q8: How strong is a moon jellyfish sting for humans?
Answer: Usually mild
Some people feel slight irritation.
Q9: What problem can moon jellyfish blooms cause?
Answer: Clogging cooling-water intakes at power plants
Huge numbers can appear quickly.
Q10: On which mission did moon jellyfish polyps fly in 1991?
Answer: A Space Shuttle Columbia mission
Scientists studied gravity and development.

Moon Jellyfish Quiz – Polyps, Ephyrae and Medusae

The moon jellyfish, Aurelia aurita, is a common translucent jellyfish with four pale rings in its bell, which are reproductive organs. Its sting is usually mild for people.

Its life cycle has several stages. A fertilized egg becomes a swimming planula larva that settles as a polyp. Through strobilation, the polyp divides into stacked discs that break free as star-shaped ephyrae, which grow into adult medusae. Polyps can survive and clone themselves for years.

Moon jellyfish trap plankton in mucus on the bell. Their blooms can clog power plant intakes, while sea turtles and ocean sunfish eat them. In 1991, moon jellyfish polyps flew aboard Space Shuttle Columbia.

What This Quiz Teaches

Ocean fans will enjoy these questions.

What moon jellyfish are
How their life cycle works
How they feed
What problems they cause
Where they have traveled

Did You Know?

Jellyfish have no brain or heart.
Moon jellies are common in public aquariums.
Their bells can reach about 40 cm across.
Warmer, polluted waters can boost blooms.
They are about 95 percent water.