The jelly blubber (Catostylus mosaicus), also known as the blue blubber jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific. It is the most commonly encountered jellyfish along the Australian eastern coast and large swarms sometimes appear in estuarine waters.
Description
Blubber Jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium showing two of the color variations (blue and brown) possible in this species.
In Sydney waters, the jelly blubber's large bell is a creamy white or brown colour, but farther north in Australia it is usually blue.[1] The colours are derived from symbiotic algal plant cells within the body of the jellyfish.[2][3] There is no obvious mouth on the underside, but there are small openings on each arm, through which food is passed to the stomach.[4] The tentacles also have stinging cells that can capture tiny crustaceans and other plankton. It can grow up to 35cm across.[2]
The sting can be painful but generally poses no serious risk to humans.
Blubber jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Jellyfish Experience"
