| Cladonema californicum
Hyman, 1947 Phylum Cnidaria / Class Hydrozoa / Order Anthomedusae / Family Cladonematidae |
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Most of us think of jellyfish as free-swimming planktonic travelers.
A few jellies, like Cladonema, have taken an alternative lifestyle.
These tiny jewels (bell only up to 2 to 3 mm diameter) possess an adhesive disc on each of
the 9 marginal tentacles that enable attachment to seaweeds. While capable of
swimming, most of their time is spent as couch potatoes attached to benthic substrates.
At the base of each tentacle is a reddish ocellus, while farther along the length 2
or 3 branches emerge. The mouth has 6 short arms that terminate with
nematocyst-laden knobs. A European species, C. radiatum, has become
established in some West Coast bays and is distinguished by more than 3 branches from each
of the marginal tentacles. C. californicum inhabits quiet bays and inlets
from British Columbia to California. You're unlikely to see this inconspicuous jelly
unless you take a very close look at seaweeds exposed on mud flats at low tide.
All photographs © David Wrobel and may not be used or copied without permission!