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Ancient creatures swarm in warmth
AS THE sea continues to warm up over the summer you can expect to see swarms of swimmers that existed even before dinosaurs.
Jellyfish have drifted along on ocean currents for millions of years and warmer waters mean seasonal swarms or ‘blooms’, said Sussex Wildlife Trust.
The trust said there are hundreds of different types of jellyfish found in all oceans, at varying temperatures and depths.
They have tiny stinging cells in their tentacles to stun or paralyse their prey and their stings can be painful to humans but they don’t purposely attack.
Most stings occur when people accidently touch a jellyfish. Even dead jellyfish can sting.
Inside their bell-shaped body is an opening where food comes in and waste goes out.
They digest their food immediately and are voracious eaters dining on small fish, eggs and larvae of sea creatures, as well as plankton.
They have a complex lifecycle starting life as a polyp, attached to a solid substance on the ocean floor, before maturing into the recognisable marine creature with its gelatinous bell-shaped body and long swaying tentacles.
If you would like to tell Sussex Wildlife Trust about the nature you see please visit the wildlife advice pages on our website www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk
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Weather for Lewes
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 14 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Thunderstorm
Temperature: 15 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
