Moon Jellyfish Spotted Near Assateague Island
ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, Md. (WJZ) -- Moon jellyfish were spotted in Sinepuxent Bay near Assateague Island.
According to National Park officials, tides and currents propel moon jellyfish through the water.
Sinepuxent Bay is an inland waterway connecting Chincoteague Bay to Isle of Wight Bay -- it also is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Ocean City Inlet.
Moon jelly is clear and bell-shaped with a four-leaf clover looking spot on the top. They swim with their dome up and the tentacles hanging below.
"Moon jellyfish are equipped with stinging cells on short tentacles and can trap their planktonic prey in a mucous lining,' Assateague Island National Seashore park officials said.
The good news -- their sting is either not felt by humans or is quite mild. But with large jellyfish the sting can be more painful.
"When food is short, moon jellyfish decrease in size. The population of moon jellyfish and other jellies are kept in check by food availability and predation; they are an important food source for sea turtles and some species of fish and birds," park officials added.