Aurelia aurita (Moon Jellyfish)
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Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Semaeostomeae
Family: Ulmaridae
Aurelia aurita is the most common jellyfish to be found in British waters. It is very slightly bell shaped rather like an upturned saucer. It is mostly colourless but has four violet coloured gonad rings near the centre. A.aurita is carnivorous with the body covered with cilia that capture plankton and transport it towards the mouth. The edge of the bell is fringed with small tentacles with nematocysts for catching larger prey such as small fish.
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