Fact Friday

Golden jellyfish

These are no ordinary jellyfish. The golden jellyfish in Palau’s Jellyfish Lake move together in a daily migration that follows the sun from one side of this marine lake to the other. Just like coral, these jellyfish have symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, living in their tissues. The zooxanthellae photosynthesize and then share nutrients with the jellyfish, which it needs to survive. Once the sun goes down, the jellyfish migrate back to the other side of the lake where they begin the cycle all over again the next morning.

Photo Credit: ©ILCP/Keith Ellenbogen

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Crown of Thorns Starfish

December 1, 2023

Crown of Thorns Starfish

Crown-of-Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci), also known as COTS, are named for their long venomous spines that cover their body and up to 23 arms. These menacing predators eat living coral and (for obvious reasons) they have few natural predators. Sometimes COTS populations can explode and completely destroy the coral on a reef. Learn more in this short education video: 

https://youtu.be/Yb0RvgxGkeg

Photo Credit: Ken Marks