Facts

Fun Facts

 Did you know poison and venom are not the same thing! Venom is something that is applied or triggered vs. poison is toxic if you ingest it.  Check out Narcissus pseudonarcissus (daffodil)- to see the difference between venom and poison.

Common remedies for a Lion's Mane sting include: vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, and meat tenderizer!

Wearing sun tan lotion can actually protect you (to some degree) from the a jellyfish sting! 

The Longest Lion's Mane ever recorded was longer than a blue whale! 

                                                      Myth- Peeing on jellyfish stings does not help!  

                                           History

Cyanea capillata made its big début in 1926 when it stared in one of the original Sherlock Holmes short stories.  "The Adventure of the Lions Mane" was a thriller chase story revolving around a Cyanea capillata.   Against the general belief and what Arthur Doyle (picture on the right of this text obtained by Arnold Genthe) portrayed in Sherlock Holmes,  the Lion's Mane actually does not kill many people but in reality have only been the cause in one recorded death!  That being said, they still pack a very powerful punch in each little nematocyst.  To learn more about the venom check out my Modifications page!  

  

Record

The Lion's Mane jellyfish are known for being big, but how big are they?  You will probably be shocked when you find out the Cyanea capillata is actually the worlds longest animal!  It has been recorded reaching lengths of around 200 feet (that is longer than a blue whale) and having a diameter of around 8 feet!  Although Lion's Mane jellyfish are beautiful majestic creatures, they are only found in this size in the harsh arctic waters typically in the winter. The image bellow was taken by Scott Sherrill.  

 

Keeping Up to Date

 A hot topic right now over in Europe has to do with a special prey of the Lion's Mane, the Comb jelly.   These specimens are thriving right now and are causing detrimental impacts on the environment.  The Comb jellies are also great hunters and are wiping out huge populations of plankton that countless organisms feed upon and depend on for their survival.  An image of a comb jelly (Pleurobrachia pileus) being consumed by a Lion's Mane is found to the left of this text.  The image was obtained United States Geological Survey. 

If you have found a jellyfish and want to identify it or report a citing to help improve the knowledge of Cyanea capillata's habitat just go on The Marine Conservation Society's Jellyfish Survey website!

 

 

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