CrackitToday App

Comb Jellies : New Study

Comb Jellies : New Study

Comb jellies, also known as ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, can defy age and revert to younger versions of themselves, according to a study published recently.

  • Comb Jellies are transparent, gelatinous invertebrates that drift through the waters of our global ocean.
  • They are one of the oldest multicellular phyla in the animal kingdom, probably existing already more than 500 million years.
  • There are between 100 and 150 known species of comb jellies, the best known of which are found close to shore.
  • They are colorful, simple invertebrates that are part of the family Ctenophora.
  • Each species varies in length, but the average size of a comb jelly is about four inches long.
  • Comb jellies get their name from their eight rows of plates made of fused cilia (little hairs) that they use to move through the water, which looks like combs.
  • They are the largest animals known to use cilia for locomotion.
  • They have two large, trailing tentacles that branch out to create the appearance of a net-like structure of many tentacles.
  • These organs serve as sticky fishing lines, which they use to trap and move prey to their bodies.
  • These animals have two major cell layers, the external epidermis and internal gastrodermis; in between these cell layers is the mesoderm which is what gives the animals their gelatinous appearance.
  • Many species are bioluminescent, meaning they can use proteins in their bodies to create an ethereal blue or green glow in response to stimuli like touch.
  • Comb jellies are carnivorous and opportunistic, feeding on whatever passes them by.
  • Unlike their close relative, the jellyfish, comb jellies do not have stinging tentacles and are harmless to humans.