Remarkable photographs of jellyfish and planktonic life in the North Atlantic
The Guardian, 21st August 2013, presents spectacular images of jellyfish captured by marine biologists and photographers Matt Doggett and Richard Shucksmith in the seas off the Orkney Islands.
Pelagia noctiluca,
Photograph: Matt Doggett /www.earthinfocus.com
Doggett and Shucksmith headed to the outlying islands of North Rona and Sula Sgeir, some 85 miles west of Stromness. The water was full of jellyfish and other planktonicplanktonic Free-floating, drifting creatures at many of the sites they visited. The further they headed offshore, the more bizarre these globular lifeforms became.
For the full set of most exceptional photographs, visit: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2013/aug/21/jellyfish-north-atlantic-in-pictures
Note: Jellyfish are a member of the class of marine animals known as “Cnidarianscnidarians A class of marine animals which include sea anemones, corals, hydroids, sea pens and sea firs, and jellyfish. Cnidarians are distinguished by the fact that they possess stinging cells which are used both for defence and the capture of prey. These stinging cells contain a long, hollow, coiled thread which shoots out and uncoils under water pressure. Discharge is triggered by touch or chemical stimulus. The threads have different functions. Some simply entangle their prey, whilst others stick to it or inject poison. Most cnidarians have a two-stage life cycle. In one of these the animal takes the form of a polyp where it has a tubular body fastened to hard surfaces whilst during the alternate, known as the medusa stage, the animal is free-floating and swims in the sea. Sea anemones, for example, are usually encountered in their polyp stage; whereas jellyfish are usually encountered in their medusa stage.“. For further information about these remarkable marine creatures, visit the British Marine Animals page on our website.
