Pacific sea nettle jellyfish Nov 3, 2023

Pacific sea nettle jellyfish

Jellyfish may be observed in all the world"s oceans in an array of shapes and sizes. There are about 2,000 different species of jellyfish, and they all lack hearts, bones and brains. Pacific sea nettle jellyfish, seen here, are known for their vibrant golden-brown bell, long tentacles and inhabit the coastal waters of California and Oregon. Moon jellyfish are pale and have short tentacles, and in an unexpected but somewhat appropriate twist, they ventured into space aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1991 to help scientists study their unique biology. No matter the species, jellyfish play a vital role in the ocean"s food chain, as they are the primary food source for many seawater animals, including sea turtles. Jellies are threatened by climate changes, marine pollution and overfishing, and damage to their populations has reverberating effects on the sea life that depends on them.

© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Nov 3, 2024Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatán, Mexico
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish, Guerrero, Mexico

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
May 21, 2024Poço Encantado cave, Brazil
Jan 20, 2026Gentoo penguin, Petermann Island, Antarctica
Apr 19, 2025Zion National Park, Utah, United States
Nov 28, 2024Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada
Sep 11, 2024Eltz Castle, Germany
Jun 3, 2025Bicycles on a bridge in Utrecht, Netherlands
Oct 1, 2024Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Jun 11, 2024A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana, USA
Jun 16, 2024Red fox father and kit, Washington, USA
Nov 13, 2025Quiver trees, Namibia
Feb 14, 2024Red-crowned crane
Aug 17, 2025Lyngvig Lighthouse, Hvide Sande, Denmark
Jan 12, 2024Bukhansan National Park, South Korea
Jul 8, 2024Blueberries growing in the wild
Jul 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Oct 14, 2025Village of Oia, Santorini, Greece
Aug 27, 2024Young black caiman
Oct 17, 2023Torra di a Parata, Corsica, France
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Mar 30, 2024Brown-throated three-toed sloth
Nov 18, 2025Male hooded merganser
Jan 1, 2025Polar bears in the Arctic
Oct 28, 2025The Gothic Gate in the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, Czechia
Jun 29, 2025Blue lagoon of Pulau Ay, Banda Islands, Indonesia
Aug 16, 2024Roller coaster in Nagashima Spa Land, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Sep 25, 2024Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA