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.
