Rhopilema nomadica
| Rhopilema nomadica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Scyphozoa |
| Subclass: | Discomedusae |
| Order: | Rhizostomae |
| Family: | Rhizostomatidae |
| Genus: | Rhopilema |
| Species: | R. nomadica |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhopilema nomadica Galil, 1990 | |
Rhopilema nomadica, the nomad jellyfish, is a jellyfish indigenous to tropical warm waters of Indian and Pacific Oceans. Since 1970's it has been also found in Mediterranean Sea, where it entered via the Suez Canal. It has been found in the Eastern Mediterranean,[1] off the coast of Israel, Turkey and in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece.[2] R. nomadica's body is light blue and the bell is rounded. It can grow up to 10 kg of weight, and its bell is commonly 40–60 cm in diameter, but can be up to 90 cm. European Union lists it as one of the worst invasive marine species in European waters.
Effects to humans
R. nomadica can cause very painful injuries to humans, since it has vermicular filaments, which are covered in venomous stinging cells, in the mouth arms.
References
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