The moon jelly is found worldwide in temperate areas. It is most often seen floating among surface waters, over reefs and along coastal shores.

The moon jelly’s primary diet consists of zooplankton, which it can store in the upper and lower surfaces of its dome. The jelly uses its four long arms to transfer the stored food from the dome to the mouth. The moon jelly lacks the strength to navigate in currents and is the most common jelly found washed up on beaches.

The jelly is considered plankton and is a main food source for many marine creatures such as leatherback sea turtles. As a result, many of these animals die every year when they ingest floating plastic bags mistaken for jellies.

Watch the moon jelly float along in the Tropical Diver gallery at the Georgia Aquarium.

• A moon jelly is whitish in color, often shaded with pink or blue.
• In open water, the tentacles are extended and hang down like a veil.
• Four-leaf-clover-shaped reproductive organs can be seen through its translucent dome.
• Embryos develop on special grooves in the adult female’s arms.
• The moon jellies are true jellies – the body is filled with a jelly-like substance.

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