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Upside-down Jellyfish

 Dear fellow reader,

The following is information on the Upside-down jellyfish.

Upside-down jellyfish/ Cassiopea xamachana

The Upside-down jellyfish swim upside down to single-celled algae that live among their tentacles. The algae require sunlight thus the jellyfish swim upside down to accommodate. They are able to remain upside down due to the underneath suctioning itself to the seabed as a way to stabilize. The reason the jellyfish protects and accommodates the algae to this extent (photosynthetic dinoflagellates) is due to the fact that it produces oxygen for itself and the jellyfish it is attached to. They have a symbiotic mutualistic relationship and are typically found in the Gulf of Mexico in coral reefs and lagoons (warm parts of the western Atlantic Ocean). 

Phylum: Cnidaria (10,000)- Includes corals, jellies, and hydras
They have a radially symmetrical body (diplobastic) that have a single opening serving as both mouth and anus
Class: Scyphozoa  (200)- some scientists believe them to be the 'true jellyfish'
Order: Rhizostomeae (92)
Family: Cassiopeidae (8)
Genus: Cassiopea (8)


Until next time,

Sol

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