Information for this column was provided by Richard Waterman, the 1999 USGS Craspedacusta sowerbyi collection data for Connecticut, “Freshwater Jellyfish: National Geographic Newsroom Species of the Week, August 2012,” by Brian Clark Howard, and The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Freshwater Jellyfish Fact Sheet. There are at least 18 species in this family. It is not an area of expertise for me. The former is a small stalk that attaches to a rock and divides into buds which break free to become adults. Cyanea is a genus of jellyfish, primarily found in northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and southern Pacific waters of Australia and New Zealand, there are also several boreal, polar, tropical and sub-tropical species. It was clearly a jellyfish, though I was not positive on the species. But not all jellyfish are stinging; many are harmless to humans, but it is always best to avoid touching them. The latter is the adult, bell-shaped, floating jellyfish we are familiar with. Ecology: Craspedacusta sowerbyi occupies a range of freshwater habitats. Commonly found in and associated with rivers and fjords. Here is a mini-guide to the main jellyfish species and the most recognizable gelatinous plankton species prevalent in our seas. The moon jelly or common jellyfish is a beautiful translucent species that has phosphorescent colors and graceful, slow movements.. Is it a Jellyfish? Some beaches in the northeastern United States are dealing with more than the threat of COVID-19 this holiday weekend. They have to contend with an unwelcome visitor: the Lion's Mane jellyfish. “This is the largest jellyfish in the world,” said Miller. Mark Conlin / Oxford Scientific / Getty Images. The clinging jellyfish were first recorded along the U.S. East Coast in the Cape Cod and the Groton, Connecticut areas in 1894. This rare creature has only been sighted 114 times in the last 110 years and is believed to be one of the largest invertebrate predators in … The lion’s mane is a stinging jellyfish.” The ones at Connecticut beaches are considered babies, but can grow to be huge. Moon jellyfish have two main stages to their lifecycle: polyp and medusa. Click on the illustrations of each individual jellyfish to learn more about the respective species. 10 Different Types of Jellyfish. The most popular species being Moon jellyfish. After I came home and did a few minutes of research, I was relatively sure it was cyanea capillata, or Lion’s Mane Jellyfish. The family also has rare species like Stygiomedusa gigantea. 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