The most interesting facts about jellyfish. Jellyfish: interesting facts, types, structure and features

Many of those who rested at sea, faced with jellyfish. This helped to understand the fact that they can not be called ordinary and harmless creatures. Consider some interesting facts about jellyfish.

What is known about the science of jellyfish?

Researchers believe that jellyfish exist about 650 million years ago. They are found in all layers of each of the oceans. Different types of jellyfish live in salt and fresh water. Their primitive nervous system, which is located on the epidermis, allows you to perceive only smells and light. Nervous nets of jellyfish help them to detect another organism with the help of a touch. These "animal plant", in fact, do not have a brain and senses. They do not have a developed respiratory system, but breathe through thin skin, which absorbs oxygen directly from the water.

Investigating interesting facts about jellyfish, scientists noticed that these creatures can positively influence people who are experiencing stress. For example, in Japan they cultivate jellyfish in special aquariums. Their smooth and measured movements act as a sedative. Although such pleasure is expensive and delivers additional troubles, on the whole it is justified.

Jellyfish more than 90 percent consist of water. The poison of their tentacles is used as a raw material for drugs that regulate blood pressure, and for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

Medusa Portuguese boat: interesting facts and observations

"The Portuguese ship" it was named by some sailors of the XVIII century, who loved to talk to others about jellyfish floating like a Portuguese warship of the Middle Ages. In fact, her body is very similar to this ship.

Its official name is fisalia, but it is not one organism. It's about the colony of jellyfish and polyps in different modifications that closely interact, and therefore look like one creature. The poison of some species of fisalia is deadly to humans. Most of the habitats of the Portuguese ship are limited to the subtropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as the northern gulfs of the Atlantic Ocean. In more rare cases, they are carried by currents into the waters of the Caribbean and Mediterranean seas, to the shores of France and Britain, to the Hawaiian Islands and the Japanese archipelago.

These jellyfish often swim in huge groups among several thousand individuals in warm waters. The transparent and brilliant jellyfish body rises above the water by about 15 centimeters and moves along a chaotic trajectory regardless of the wind. Those individuals who swim by the shore are often thrown out by powerful winds on land. In the warm season, the fisalia swims away from the shore, it moves along the current toward one of the poles of the earth.

Distinctive features of physalia

Other interesting facts about jellyfish of this type relate to their unique features. Fisalia is one of two biological species capable of glowing red light. Another Portuguese warship uses as its sails its air bag filled with nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen. If a storm is coming, the jellyfish lowers the bubble and goes under the water. Near her tentacles like to swim small perch, which do not feel a poisonous environment, have a serious defense against enemies, as well as particles of food. Perch by its appearance attracts other fish, which become food for these invertebrates. Here is such a symbiosis.

There are a number of species known today as fizales. In the Mediterranean alone, researchers discovered about 20 species of the Portuguese ship.

Fisalia of jellyfish, interesting facts about reproduction

It is not known exactly how this jellyfish propagates. However, scientific research has shown that they multiply asexually, and in each colony there are polyps that are responsible for reproduction. In fact, they create new colonies. Portuguese ships are different in that they can multiply continuously, therefore in the waters of the oceans and seas the number of nascent jellyfish grows.

Another common version about the reproduction of the fisalia indicates that, when dying, the jellyfish leaves behind some organisms in which sexual signs appear, after which new individuals are formed. While this theory is not proved.

About the tentacles of the Portuguese ship

Concerning tentacles of jellyfish, interesting facts are that their device is unique. "Limbs" jellyfish are equipped with a large number of capsules containing a poison, the composition of which is similar to the poison of the cobra. Each of these small capsules is a hollow, twisted tube with thin hairs. If there is a contact between the tentacles and the fish, the fish will die because of the stinging mechanism. When a person gets a burn from this jellyfish, he feels severe pain, he will show feverish condition, breathing becomes difficult.

On this interesting facts about jellyfish do not end. The tentacles of these invertebrates can reach 30 meters in length. In addition, a person who is engaged in swimming, enjoying the process, can not always see on the water a bright blue-red bubble and realize the danger threatening him.

Medusa irukandji: interesting facts about the danger emanating from her

This small jellyfish, which lives near the coast of Australia, produces poisonous substances that act stronger than the cobra venom. There are 10 species of Irukandji, 3 of which are deadly. The bite is almost not perceptible, but the consequences of it - a powerful heart attack, which in some cases can result in a painful death. And all this can happen in just 20 minutes. Since these invertebrates are too small and almost invisible, it is easy for them to penetrate any barrier network that is designed for large creatures that are dangerous for swimmers and holidaymakers.

There are some interesting facts about jellyfish of this species. Since the fishermen often fell ill with a strange disease after each time they went to sea, they realized that the reason for this is contact with some inhabitant of the sea. Medusa was named after the Irukandji tribe. Over time, thanks to Dr. Barnes, it was possible to finally establish that the cause of the disease is contact with the jellyfish. Although its dimensions are rather small, but the tentacles reach a length of 1 meter. The pain from the bite is so strong that it makes you bend in half, accompanied by a strong sweating and vomiting, legs tremble tremendously.

conclusions

Although these invertebrate organisms are difficult to examine in water, regardless of their size, it is still not worth while swimming in the sea, walking along the shore, being careless and inattentive - for their own health. Many types of jellyfish are dangerous for human health and life.

However, they also perform useful functions in their habitats, are used in medicine as raw materials for preparations. And who knows, maybe, mankind will be able to get even more benefits from jellyfish.