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February 3, 2009
Fragile predator
The jellyfish Crossota alba. Delicate jellyfish
such as this thrive in the deep sea, where no wind, waves, or
turbulence threaten to tear them apart, and are successful predators in
spite of their fragility. In the quiet, dark environment
this transparent, inch-wide animal sits motionless, with stinging
tentacles arranged like fishing lines in a circle, and waits to
encounter prey—ambushing, rather than stalking its food. This photo and
others are featured in the Open Ocean Jellies poster, available at the
WHOI Ocean Science Exhibit Center.
(Photo by Larry Madin, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
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