The Resilient Cannonball Jellyfish

The rounded, golden-hued creature floating in the water is a Cannonball Jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris). As a biologist with three decades in the field, I am fascinated by the diversity of jellyfish forms, and this species' compact, firm, and spherical bell sets it apart. It is named for its resemblance to a cannonball and its relatively solid structure compared to other, more delicate jellyfish species.

Cannonball jellyfish are powerful swimmers, using their muscular bells to efficiently pulse through the water. They don't have long, stinging tentacles like many of their relatives; instead, they possess short, frilly oral arms that they use to filter plankton and other tiny organisms from the water. Their robustness and wide distribution in warm coastal waters make them a successful and important part of the marine ecosystem.