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Jellyfish are important in ecosystems. They regulate the populations of their prey, particularly plankton populations (Wright et al., 2021) and are themselves a source of food for some organisms (Doyle et al., 2014). For example, they are a source of food for turtles (Heaslip et al., 2012).
Schematic representation of jellyfish anatomy
What happens when we touch them in the water?
(McGee et al., 2023; Peng et al., 2024)
This is not a sting but a stinging reaction to a cocktail of toxins that are injected (in order to paralyse their prey).
They have small microscopic harpoons on their tentacles carrying stinging filaments under pressure, which are triggered when something brushes against the jellyfish (McGee et al., 2023). This is the world's fastest biological phenomenon known to date.
Schematic representation of the jellyfish harpoon system on the tentacle
Recognising them - Some frequently encountered jellyfish species
What to do in case of a sting
Symptoms:
• Burning sensation, itching, tingling
• Red skin lesions
• Oedema and translucent vesicles
Skin marks can take up to 15 days to disappear.
Bibliography / Bibliographie
Les mondes de Jamy, Comment sauver la Méditerranée ? Broadcast on 19th May 2025 sur France 5
https://www.france.tv/france-5/le-monde-de-jamy/7145078-comment-sauver-la-mediterranee.html
(20th May 2025)
Doyle, T. K., Hays, G. C., Harrod, C., and Houghton, J. D. R.: Ecological and Societal Benefits of Jellyfish, in: Jellyfish Blooms, edited by: Pitt, K. A. and Lucas, C. H., Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, 105–127, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7015-7_5, 2014.
Heaslip, S. G., Iverson, S. J., Bowen, W. D., and James, M. C.: Jellyfish Support High Energy Intake of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea): Video Evidence from Animal-Borne Cameras, PLoS ONE, 7, e33259, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033259, 2012.
Matsumoto, Y. and Miglietta, M. P.: Cellular Reprogramming and Immortality: Expression Profiling Reveals Putative Genes Involved in Turritopsis dohrnii’s Life Cycle Reversal, Genome Biology and Evolution, 13, evab136, https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evab136, 2021.
McGee, R. G., Webster, A. C., Lewis, S. R., and Welsford, M.: Interventions for the symptoms and signs resulting from jellyfish stings, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009688.pub3, 2023.
Peng, X., Liu, K., Chen, J., Yan, Z., Danso, B., Wang, M., Peng, Z., and Xiao, L.: Jellyfish Stings: A Review of Skin Symptoms, Pathophysiology, and Management, Med Sci Monit, 30, https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.944265, 2024.
Velasco-Muñoz, V., Uribe-Gaviria, M., Suárez-Gómez, S. A., Villamizar-Romero, A., Ricaurte-Fajardo, A., Vásquez-Vélez, I. C., and Cano-Gutiérrez, C. A.: Regenerative characteristics of the immortal jellyfish, Turritopsis dohrnii, and their potential implications for human aging, Revista Española de Geriatría y Gerontología, 60, 101607, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regg.2024.101607, 2025.
Wright, R. M., Quéré, C. L., Buitenhuis, E., Pitois, S., and Gibbons, M. J.: Role of jellyfish in the plankton ecosystem revealed using a global ocean biogeochemical model, 2021.
May 2025
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