Comb Jelly - Blog Posts

Sea Gooseberry

Pleurobrachia pileus

The Sea Gooseberry is a comb jelly or ctenophore that has two enormous tentacles covered with adhesive cells. When tiny crustaceans, eggs, and larvae brush against the tentacles, the prey are stuck to them. The Sea Gooseberry draws the tentacles to its mouth, and it consumes the prey. These unique organisms can be found as deep as 750 m. 

TWO INJURED SEA COMBS CAN FUSE INTO A SINGLE ENTITY, AND THRIVE

In a surprising new discovery, scientists have found that two injured individuals of Mnemiopsis leidyi, a species of comb jellies or ctenophores, can fuse into a single entity. This phenomenon, which challenges our typical understanding of biological processes, reveals just how remarkable these planktonic creatures truly are.

Ctenophores, known for their translucent beauty and delicate movement in the ocean, appear to lack a mechanism called allorecognition—the ability to distinguish between self and non-self. This means that, when two comb jellies are injured and placed close together, they can merge, not just physically, but also functionally. Their nervous systems combine, allowing them to share nerve signals (or action potentials), and even their digestive systems become one.

The discovery was made by Dr. Jokura and his team, who were observing comb jellies in a seawater tank. After removing parts of their lobes and placing them side by side, they were astonished to see 9 out of 10 injured comb jellies fuse to form a single organism. Even more fascinating, the newly formed organism survived for at least three weeks, with its muscle contractions fully synchronized within just two hours. The digestive system also fused, enabling food taken in by one mouth to travel through their shared canal and exit through both anuses—although not at the same time!

While the exact benefits of this fusion are still unclear, the researchers believe that studying this phenomenon could provide valuable insights into how organisms integrate nervous systems and even how tissue regeneration occurs. It may also offer clues about immune system functions in species where the lines between individual organisms become blurred.

This discovery offers a glimpse into the hidden potential of the ocean’s lesser-known inhabitants, challenging what we think we know about biological boundaries and cooperation.

Video: Kei Jokura

Reference: Jakura et al., 2024. Rapid physiological integration of fused ctenophores. Current Biology

Hii!! Happy late holidays?? Well! I feel a lot better todayyy sooo no more stuffy nose but I still got a cough.. And while I was resting I found a website off a blog about the ocean and I saw these fish which I thought were pretty cool.

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Sea angels - They look so pretty and awesome. I like the fact you can see their organs and brain! What makes them look like an angel is by their little fins! And they’re more of a predator! See at the mouth, they turn into tentacles to capture their prey and they look like a total ALIEN!! How fricking coool!!

Comb Jellies - These are my favorite. Some glow red and usually in the darkest part of the ocean (midnight or abyssal maybe?) they usually mask their glow so they can hunt prey and hide their last eaten meal! And then at the top that looks like hair tinsel? Shimmers! Rainbow and it’s mostly reflecting light.

Hadal Snailfish - Oh my gosh.. Super cute!! They got “:3” for faces!! Ugh. Adorbs. They’re mostly known about their unique adaptations to pressure and temperatures of the ocean, they are usually found 6,000 and below! Supposedly their body is gelatinous meaning it can help them survive the depths of the ocean and lack of light!

Chiton - Known to be ancient!! Apparently appeared millions ago before dinosaurs existed(500 million years) their shell is very tough and overlaps by 8 plates. They sadly do get eaten a lot but there way of surviving is by clinging onto rocks very tightly which is an amazing ability! They’re very pretty, I like their designs!! Also their tongues? They’re called “radulas” how unique!! I think they’re totally cool.

I think they’re really cute! Not only that, amazing! I like their way around the ocean and how they eat their prey’s. I think they’re smart despite they just.. swim.. and.. alone.. and.. Yeah.. Oof. I could never. Beautiful creatures! Personally, I would never see them up close. Welp. I had fun researching about them and sharing what I found out about them!!