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Watch moon jellies in their habitat at the Vancouver Aquarium.
A jelly is an invertebrate made up mostly of water, and has no heart, brain or bones. It is made up of 96 percent water, 3 percent protein and 1 percent minerals. Jellies swim by jet propulsion. The jelly will expand then quickly contract its bell-shaped body, which forces water away from the bell and pushes the jelly in the opposite direction. Learn more in our Jellies AquaFact
Moon jellies have a transparent, white bell rimmed with hundreds of short tentacles. They have four oral arms, which hang from the centre of the bell. The four horseshoe shapes in the centre of the bell are the gonads (sex organs) and the guts. The moon jelly has two distinct lifecycle stages; the polyp stage and a medusa or jelly stage.
Moon jellies range from the Arctic to Florida and from Alaska to southern California. While swimming you may encounter huge masses of them (called smacks) drifting with the current near the beach. If you touch their tentacles their sting will not kill you, unless you are allergic to the toxin. It will probably feel tingly, but some people say they don't feel anything when stung by a moon jelly.
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