Michael Davis
While jellyfish and mushrooms are seemingly unrelated, there are some fascinating connections between the two. In 2014, researchers discovered strange mushroom-shaped organisms, dubbed Dendrogramma, living on the deep seafloor off southeastern Australia. These organisms didn't fit neatly into any known category of life and exhibited similarities to both jellyfish and comb jellies. Additionally, a species of jellyfish known as Rhopilema verrilli, or the mushroom cap jellyfish, possesses a distinctive mushroom-shaped bell and is commonly referred to as a mushroom jellyfish. This species lacks tentacles but possesses stinging cells within its bell, showcasing unique adaptations within the jellyfish family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Are jellyfish and mushrooms related? | No, they are not related. |
| Resemblance | Some jellyfish species like Rhopilema verrilli, also known as mushroom cap jellyfish, resemble mushrooms in shape. |
| Scientific Classification | Jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria, whereas mushrooms are fungi. |
| DNA Evidence | DNA evidence suggests that mushroom-shaped organisms discovered in deep-sea expeditions are not entire animals but pieces of a siphonophore. |
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What You'll Learn
- Rhopilema verrilli, the mushroom cap jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish with a mushroom-shaped medusa
- The mushroom jellyfish lacks tentacles but has stinging cells within its bell
- Dendrogramma, a strange mushroom-shaped organism, was discovered living on the deep seafloor in Australia
- DNA evidence suggests that Dendrogramma is not an entire animal but a piece of a siphonophore
- Mushroom jellyfish survive off tiny plankton parts, caught with their finger-like appendages
Rhopilema verrilli, the mushroom cap jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish with a mushroom-shaped medusa
Rhopilema verrilli, commonly known as the mushroom cap jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish with a distinct mushroom-shaped medusa. This species belongs to the family Rhizostomatidae and was first identified by Fewkes in 1887 after a specimen was found in the New Haven Harbor of Connecticut, USA.
The mushroom cap jellyfish is easily distinguished by its unique morphology. It has a gelatinous, mushroom-shaped bell that ranges in diameter from 35 to 50 cm, with some individuals reaching up to 51 cm. The bell can vary in color, including white, light yellow, brown, blue, pink, or green hues. The margins of the bell typically exhibit a light brown pigmentation, while the lateral surfaces display reddish-brown coloration due to the underlying organs, including pinkish digestive glands.
Unlike many other jellyfish species, Rhopilema verrilli lacks tentacles. Instead, it possesses eight oral arms with finger-shaped appendages, which aid in capturing tiny planktonic prey. These arms have nematocyst warts underneath the middle of the umbrella-like structure. The species also features eight rhopalia, small pink structures located around the bell margin. Each rhopalium contains a gravity sensor, enabling the jellyfish to sense its orientation and direction in the water.
In terms of distribution, Rhopilema verrilli is found in the Western Atlantic regions of the United States and Canada. They are most commonly encountered along the coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico and between North Carolina and New England. During certain times of the year, they may venture into estuaries and even enter the lower Chesapeake Bay during fall and early winter.
The mushroom cap jellyfish is considered a delicacy in some Asian countries, such as China and Japan, where they are consumed pickled or dried into a paste. Despite their mild stinging capability, they are not a significant threat to humans.
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The mushroom jellyfish lacks tentacles but has stinging cells within its bell
Jellyfish are soft-bodied stinging animals that are part of the phylum Cnidaria, which also includes corals and sea anemones. Cnidarians have a unique feature: stinging cells called cnidocytes. Each cnidocyte cell has a long, coiled, tubular, harpoon-like structure, called a nematocyst. When the nematocyst senses food, either through touch or chemoreception, it fires outward, injecting venom through its tube into the prey. Jellyfish use their stinging cells for defence and feeding.
Rhopilema verrilli, also known as the mushroom cap jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Rhizostomatidae. They are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their mushroom-shaped medusae. The species does not have any tentacles but has stinging cells, called nematocysts, within their bells, which can produce mild stings to humans. The mushroom jellyfish is often confused with the cannonball jellyfish. Both species lack tentacles, but the R. verrilli has finger-shaped arms, while the cannonball jellyfish does not. The mushroom jellyfish is also much flatter, softer, and larger, with a diameter ranging from 35 to 51 cm.
The mushroom jellyfish's stinging cells are concentrated on its oral arms. These arms are used to transport food into the mouth. The jellyfish lacks a brain but has an elementary nerve net capable of detecting light, odour, and other stimuli, coordinating the animal's responses. The species has eight rhopalia, which are small pink structures located around the bell margin. Each rhopalium contains a gravity sensor, allowing the jellyfish to tell its orientation and direction.
The mushroom jellyfish is distributed throughout the Western Atlantic of the U.S. and Canada but resides mostly along the coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and between North Carolina and New England. They sometimes occur inshore in the mouths of estuaries. The species survive off of tiny plankton parts, which are pushed out of their umbrella by the water and are caught with their finger-like appendages. R. verrilli do not present a stinging threat to humans because they do not have tentacles, but their stinging cells reside inside their bells.
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Dendrogramma, a strange mushroom-shaped organism, was discovered living on the deep seafloor in Australia
In 1986, scientists discovered strange, mushroom-shaped organisms living on the deep seafloor, a kilometre under the water's surface, off southeastern Australia. These organisms, named Dendrogramma, had a gelatinous stalk and cap shaped like a mushroom, with an opening at the bottom of the stalk resembling a mouth, and a canal that branched into numerous branches. The name Dendrogramma is derived from the ancient Greek words "dendron", meaning "tree", and "gramma", meaning "drawing or mathematical figure", referring to the branching pattern of the digestive canals.
Initially, researchers were unable to determine Dendrogramma's relationships and considered placing them in their own phylum. The specimens were first interpreted as free-living organisms, but later research suggested that they were detached bracts or parts of a larger siphonophore. While Dendrogramma was once thought to be an ancient species that had survived undiscovered for millions of years, DNA evidence revealed that they are not entire animals but rather pieces of a siphonophore.
The discovery of Dendrogramma excited scientists as they appeared to represent a completely new group of animals, distinct from existing groups such as shellfish, insects, worms, jellyfish, sponges, and animals with backbones. The specimens shared similarities with 560-600 million-year-old fossils found in Newfoundland, Russia, and certain Ediacaran forms, leading to speculation that they could be living fossils from the pre-Cambrian period. However, while Dendrogramma bore similarities to these ancient organisms, there were also significant differences, and molecular studies are needed to determine their exact relationship to the tree of life.
The first Dendrogramma specimens were collected at water depths of 400 to 1,000 metres on the continental slope near Tasmania and southeastern Australia. The organisms have a cylindrical stalk capped by a flat, semi-transparent disc with visible branching channels. These channels resemble dendrograms, which are branching diagrams used by biologists to illustrate evolutionary relationships. The original specimens were described in 2014 by a team of Danish scientists, and two new species were identified: Dendrogramma enigmatica and Dendrogramma discoides.
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DNA evidence suggests that Dendrogramma is not an entire animal but a piece of a siphonophore
There are jellyfish that resemble mushrooms, such as the species Rhopilema verrilli, commonly known as the mushroom cap jellyfish. They are distinguished by their mushroom-shaped medusae and range in diameter from 35 to 51 cm. Unlike other jellyfish, they do not have tentacles but possess stinging cells within their bells, which can produce mild stings in humans.
In terms of the relationship between jellyfish and mushrooms, it is important to note that jellyfish are invertebrates belonging to the class Scyphozoa, while mushrooms are fungi. However, in 2014, scientists discovered peculiar mushroom-shaped organisms living on the deep seafloor off southeastern Australia. These organisms, named Dendrogramma, had a gelatinous stalk and cap resembling a mushroom, with a canal radiating into numerous branches. Initially, researchers could not assign Dendrogramma to any known animal group, and it was suggested that they might represent an entirely new phylum.
However, subsequent DNA evidence revealed that Dendrogramma is not an entire animal but rather a piece of a siphonophore. Phylogenetic analyses of genetic data collected from additional specimens indicated that Dendrogramma is a cnidarian, specifically a benthic siphonophore in the family Rhodaliidae. This means that Dendrogramma shares evolutionary relationships with other siphonophores, which are colonial organisms composed of genetically identical individuals called zooids.
The discovery of Dendrogramma highlights the importance of DNA evidence in unraveling the mysteries of evolution and the relationships between different organisms. While the initial discovery of Dendrogramma suggested a completely new type of animal, DNA analysis revealed its true identity as a piece of a siphonophore colony. This underscores the power of genetic analysis in classifying organisms and understanding their evolutionary history.
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Mushroom jellyfish survive off tiny plankton parts, caught with their finger-like appendages
The mushroom jellyfish, or Rhopilema verrilli, is a species of jellyfish in the family Rhizostomatidae. They are distinguished by their mushroom-shaped medusae and lack of tentacles. Instead, they have 8 oral arms with finger-shaped appendages and stinging cells called nematocysts within their bells, which can produce mild stings to humans.
The mushroom jellyfish survive off tiny plankton parts, which are pushed out of their umbrella-like bell by the water and caught with their finger-like appendages. This species does not present a stinging threat to humans as they lack tentacles, but their stinging cells can still produce mild stings.
Rhopilema verrilli are distributed throughout the Western Atlantic of the U.S. and Canada, but they are mostly found along the coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico and between North Carolina and New England. They sometimes occur inshore in the mouths of estuaries and may enter the lower Chesapeake Bay during the fall and early winter.
The mushroom jellyfish is often confused with the cannonball jellyfish, as both species lack tentacles. However, the cannonball jellyfish is more round and has a slightly rougher umbrella, while the mushroom jellyfish is flatter, softer, and larger, with a diameter of up to 51 cm or 20 inches. The bell of the mushroom jellyfish is gelatinous, mushroom-shaped, and translucent, ranging in color from white to light yellow, brown, blue, pink, or green.
The life cycle of Rhopilema verrilli starts with the adult medusa laying an egg. After fertilization, the egg develops into a free-living larva or planula, which attaches itself to a hard substrate and metamorphoses into a polyp called a scyphistoma. The scyphistoma reproduces asexually through budding and transforms into a strobila, which then matures into an ephryae, the immature form of a medusa. When the ephryae mature and break away from the strobila, they become adult medusae.
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Frequently asked questions
No, jellyfish and mushrooms are not related. However, there is a species of jellyfish called Rhopilema verrilli, also known as the mushroom cap jellyfish, which is mushroom-shaped.
Rhopilema verrilli is a species of jellyfish that are distinguished by their mushroom-shaped medusae. They do not have tentacles but possess stinging cells called nematocysts within their bells, which can produce mild stings in humans.
Yes, in 2014, researchers reported finding strange mushroom-shaped organisms living on the deep seafloor off southeastern Australia. These organisms, called Dendrogramma, had a gelatinous stalk and cap resembling a mushroom, but they lacked the specialized cells that would indicate their relationship to other animals. DNA evidence suggests that Dendrogramma mushrooms are not entire animals but rather fragments of a siphonophore.
