Spotted Lagoon Jellyfish Mastigias papua

The Spotted Lagoon Jellyfish is native to coastal lagoons and shallow reefs of the Pacific Ocean between Japan and Australia. It lives in large aggregations, some in closed marine lakes (eg in Palau).

Its translucent jelly is 2-7cm diameter with white spots, ovals and tentacles 3-10cm long (exceptionally to 30cm). It has no sting.

It eats zooplankton caught on its tentacles and the products of photosynthesis provided by a simbiotic organism that lives in the jelly. Larger individuals may also protect small fish living in their bell.