Cannonball Jelly

The Cannonball Jelly, scientifically known as Stomolophus meleagris, is a remarkably abundant and distinctive jellyfish found primarily along the coasts of the western Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. True to its common name, this fascinating marine invertebrate boasts a firm, dome-shaped bell that closely resembles a cannonball. Unlike many of its infamous relatives, the cannonball jelly lacks the long, trailing, venomous tentacles that typical beachgoers fear. Instead, it relies on a dense cluster of short oral arms to filter feed on microscopic plankton and small pelagic eggs. Extremely common in coastal estuaries and nearshore waters, these jellies often travel in massive aggregations, sometimes washing ashore in impressive numbers during the fall. Beyond their ecological role as a vital food source for endangered sea turtles, cannonball jellies have gained significant economic importance. They are frequently harvested in the wild and exported for human consumption, considered a crunchy, nutrient-dense delicacy in various Asian cuisines.

Habitat: Found in warm coastal waters and estuaries, often drifting near the surface in large swarms.