The moon jelly is a small jelly that feeds on tiny organisms and is food to a large number of predators in the Pacific Ocean. While commonly found along the shore, the moon jelly is widespread, being found from the poles to the equators.
Moon jellies pulsate their bells to keep them upright and at the surface of the water, proving the best positioning for their arms to cover as much area as possible. While their tentacles contain cnidocytes, or stinging cells, they are not strong enough to piece human skin, so most people don’t have a reaction to moon jellies.
Like other jellies, moon jellies are a favorite of sea turtles and ocean fish. Unfortunately, their translucent appearance and gentle pulsating movement means that floating plastic bags can easily be mistaken for moon jellies and accidentally ingested by a number of sea animals.
The moon jelly population has not been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As a result, the current status of the population is unknown.