Fried egg jellyfish, egg yolk jelly • Phacellophora camtschatica
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Photos by Mike Munroe (top left), Jenn Burt (bottom left), and Wiebe Nijland.
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Identification
The fried egg jellyfish is translucent, white, or pale yellow with a yellow internal mass (gonads) which gives the bell the appearance of an egg freshly cracked into a pan. The bell has a scalloped margin consisting of 16 large lobes interspersed by smaller lobes, with up to 25 tentacles hanging from each lobe. This species gets up to 60 cm in diameter, with tentacles trailing below for up to 6 m.
Habitat & Range
The fried egg jellyfish inhabits coastal temperate waters around the world.
Similar Species
The lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), which can occasionally be white, is distinguished from the fried egg jelly by the eight large pairs of lobes that edge its bell margin.
Intriguing Info
Unlike the lion's man jellyfish, the fried egg jellyfish has a mild sting. It often hosts small crustaceans and small fish on the subumbrella and exumbrella.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52966-Phacellophora-camtschatica
The fried egg jellyfish is translucent, white, or pale yellow with a yellow internal mass (gonads) which gives the bell the appearance of an egg freshly cracked into a pan. The bell has a scalloped margin consisting of 16 large lobes interspersed by smaller lobes, with up to 25 tentacles hanging from each lobe. This species gets up to 60 cm in diameter, with tentacles trailing below for up to 6 m.
Habitat & Range
The fried egg jellyfish inhabits coastal temperate waters around the world.
Similar Species
The lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), which can occasionally be white, is distinguished from the fried egg jelly by the eight large pairs of lobes that edge its bell margin.
Intriguing Info
Unlike the lion's man jellyfish, the fried egg jellyfish has a mild sting. It often hosts small crustaceans and small fish on the subumbrella and exumbrella.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52966-Phacellophora-camtschatica
References
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 68.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Smith, C.R. (2002). Phacellophora camtschatica (Brant, 1835). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. Accessed 10/12/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Harbo, R. M. (1999). Whelks to whales: Coastal marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing. P. 68.
Lamb, A., and Hanby, B. (2005). Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest [electronic version]. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing.
Smith, C.R. (2002). Phacellophora camtschatica (Brant, 1835). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. Accessed 10/12/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2014).
