AURELIA AURITA | 𝑴𝒊𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

THE FOUR-LEAF CLOVER JELLYFISH

This is one of the names by which Aurelia aurita is known. In English, this transparent jellyfish has a truly poetic name and is called the “Moon Jellyfish”.

Both of these names refer to certain anatomical features of this jellyfish. The Italian name (quadrifoglio) refers to the four central gonads that form a kind of white four-leaf clover.

The English name (moon) refers to its shape: round and translucent, resembling our satellite in every way.

Aurelia aurita is a quite common jellyfish. It can be found in groups in coastal waters, especially in sheltered areas such as estuaries, harbors, brackish lagoons, and bays.

Its umbrella can reach up to 40 cm in diameter.

It is not a dangerous jellyfish for humans; its tentacles can cause a mild sting but are not particularly harmful. Nonetheless, it is still better not to touch it.

This jellyfish is an efficient filter feeder. It feeds on zooplankton and other small marine animals (copepods, rotifers, polychaetes, protozoa, fish eggs, larvae, and mollusks), which it captures using its delicate outer tentacles.

The Aurelia aurita jellyfish is also an important part of the diet for many marine animals, especially the mola mola fish and the leatherback turtle.