Jellyfish & Other Zooplankton

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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)