EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

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The Egg Yolk That Isn't An Egg

Credit & Copyright:  Dr. Bruce G. Marcot
  

Explanation:  Broken egg in a swirling pan of oil?  Nope.  This is the aptly-named Egg-Yolk Jellyfish, swimming here in Morro Bay, California.   This cnidarian is big, up to 2 ft (60 cm) diameter.  We encountered another enormous relative in a previous EPOW episode, with which they can be confused.  Egg-Yolk Jellyfish are common denizens of the coastal waters of central California, and can be found globally.  They often feed on other jellyfish that wander into their web of adhering tentacles reaching 10-20 feet (3-6 m) in length, and in turn they serve as food for many fish, seabirds, and sea turtles.  Also called "Fried Egg Jellyfish," it induces only a mild sting.  It also serves as the Uber of the ocean, carrying along hitchhiking crabs and amphipods.