What is the most common jellyfish in the Chesapeake Bay?

Answer 1

There are five common types of jellyfish found in the Bay and its tributaries. Of these, only three are considered true jellyfish. The other two, the mermaids purse and the sea walnut, have no or few tentacles and cannot sting. The second group, known as comb jellies, are generally transparent but often tinged green or pink and have bands of seemingly colored cilia striping their bodies. Flapping of the cilia allows the jellies to propel themselves casually through the water. The most distinctive characteristic of the sea walnut is its ability to luminesce, emitting a green glow, when disturbed. The other three types of jellyfish do not have such innocuous traits as the comb jellies. These jellyfish, the lion's mane, moon jellyfish, and sea nettle, all have tentacles loaded with stinging cells. The lion's mane floats through Bay waters only during the winter and early spring and is not a hinderance to normal recreational activities. The moon jelly is the Bay's largest species but its sting is generally mild. It is characterized by fringe-like tentacles and clover-shaped red gonads.