NATURALIST'S 



NOTEBOOK 



Life for a moon jelly is not as simple as it may seem 



appear to pack any sort of nasty sting." The 

 jellyfish are six inches in length, and they hang 

 out close to the bottom on sandy shores. "No 

 one ever sees them because they don't float," 

 he says. "When they die, they just decompose 

 instead of being washed up on shore." 



The Arctic lion's mane jellyfish (Cyanea 

 capillata) is the world's largest jellyfish. But 

 North Carolina has a smaller version. 



"Around here, lion's mane jellyfish 

 usually have a diameter of 8 inches across the 

 bell, and their tentacles are around 6 feet 

 long," says Paul Barrington, director of 

 husbandry and operations at the Fort Fisher 

 aquarium. The lion's mane jellyfish has a 

 mass of pinkish-white hairy tentacle clusters 

 that extend from the umbrella, and its color 

 ranges from fuchsia to purple. 



TREATMENT AND 

 HEALTH BENEFITS 



Julie Brewer, health center director at 

 Camp Seagull, a camp for boys on the Neuse 

 River in Arapahoe, says that she and her staff 

 treat about four mild jellyfish stings a day. "It 

 depends on the current," she says. "Some 

 weeks when the wind comes in, it blows a lot 

 of jellyfish our way." 



When the campers are stung, Brewer 

 applies vinegar, which keeps the nematocysts 

 from being fired. "We just spray a mixture of 

 half vinegar and half water on the affected 

 area, and that usually makes the redness go 

 away," she says. 



The American Red Cross cautions 

 against rubbing affected areas or applying 



fresh water or ammonia, 

 both of which increase pain. 

 If pain or swelling worsens, 

 seek medical attention. 



"Different people are 

 subject to different levels of 

 sensitivity," says Pawlik. 

 "It's the same as a bee 

 sting. Sometimes people are 

 extremely allergic — and 

 the stings can be fatal — 

 while others are barely 

 affected." In some cases, 

 severe symptoms include 

 respiratory distress, muscle cramps or 

 dizziness. 



For swimming peace of mind, there is a 

 new sunscreen called Safe Sea, which blends 

 lotion with an enzyme that is secreted by 

 clownfish. According to Bradley, clownfish 

 often live in close contact with jellyfish and 

 go without harm because their enzyme 

 disables a jellyfish's nematocytes. "So if a 

 jellyfish comes into contact with a swimmer 

 using Safe Sea, the nematocytes are not 

 activated," he says. 



In spite of the intimidation associated 

 with their stings, most jellyfish are harmless 

 — and many are quite beneficial. 



According to Bradley, jellyfish often 

 produce a green glow when they are 

 aggravated, and scientists at the University of 

 Manchester in England have used that glow 

 to track cancer in humans. "The scientists put 

 the DNA that gives that glow into a yeast, and 

 then they introduce it into the body," says 

 Bradley. "The yeast will give off that green 

 glow in the places where it gets aggravated by 

 the cancer." 



Several jellyfish derivatives are being 

 used to treat not only forms of cancer, but 

 also arthritis, Alzheimer's and heart disease. 

 If such contributions to health research 

 continue at their current rate, a jellyfish's 

 sting soon may seem like a small price to pay 

 for its priceless benefits. 



And, Bradley reflects, "They aren't 

 intentionally going out and stinging people. 

 They're just responding to a stimulus — it's 

 a way of survival." □ 



THE LOCALS 



M. 



North Carolina 

 jellyfish scarcely live up to their 

 reputation. Some of the most 

 common are: 



• The moon jellyfish {Amelia 

 aurita) is one of the most wide- 

 spread. It is sometimes found in 

 huge swarms, and is recognized by 

 its disk-shaped body and white to 

 pink coloring. Its tentacles are short, 

 and its sting only causes a mild rash 

 that may itch for a few hours. 



• The cabbagehead jellyfish 



(Stomolophus meleagris), also 

 called the cannonball jelly, is nearly 

 spherical. It has no tentacles, but 

 does have short oral arms that hang 

 down just below its bell. The 

 cabbagehead jelly feeds on small 

 particles in the plankton, but people 

 cannot perceive its sting. 



• The mushroom jellyfish 



(Rhopilema verrilli) can grow up to 

 one and a half feet across. It is easily 

 breakable because of its size, and 

 like the cabbage head, it has no 

 tentacles. Its oral arms resemble 

 long, fleshy fingers. In China and 

 Japan, this low-calorie delicacy is 

 served pickled but also may be dried 

 and turned into a paste. 



• The sea nettle (Chrysaora 

 quinquecirrha) has a pale white 

 body that resembles the spokes of a 

 wheel. It has few, but long, tentacles 

 that sting, leaving wounds that last 

 up to a few weeks. It is commonly 

 found beginning in August, when its 

 young hatch in 80-degree waters. 



COASTWATCH 25 



