The Reproduction of Jellyfish

 The Reproduction of Jellyfish

Jellyfish reproduction involves several different stages of development and growth. As an adult jellyfish (the medusa stage), sexual reproduction is possible. Respectively, there both male and female jellyfish who produce sperm and eggs. For the sexual reproduction to occur, both the sperm and the eggs are released into the water and join to form a Panula. The Planula is the larval form the jellyfish takes, it drifts through the sea until it latches on to a smooth rock or other surface where it remains until it develops into a Polyp. The Polyp stage can last for many months and it is in this stage where asexual reproduction occurs. The Polyp clones itself and produces many other identical 'baby jellyfish'. These clones stick to each other in a fashion that resembles a piece of seaweed or coral. This stack of clones then develops further into Ephyra's, each layer or each clone turns into one Ephyra from which they drift using currents and feed on plankton and other small fish. Over time, the Ephyra develops into the Medusa stage from which the process starts again.

http://themoonjellyfish.weebly.com/life-cycle.html


Jellyfish reproduce for the same reasons all species on Earth reproduce, to ensure the survival of the gene line and the species as a whole. Considering that Jellyfish seem to survive and thrive in warmer waters with high salt and iodine content, it has lead scientists to believe that with increasing temperatures due to Climate Change, and particular heat in these oceanic areas, jellyfish are perceiving this as a constant Spring and so are consistently reproducing time and time again in a single year.

This explains the Large Blooms in the Chinese area but we still do not know where certain species are, and so in my next post, this is what I will be outlining.