Aurelia aurita
Petipeti
Invertebrate
Cnidaria
Scyphozoa
Ulmaridae
This jelly is a beautiful lavender-blue colour. The fringe of the animal has eight eye notches and organs for balance and tilt. The four lilac coloured horseshoe shapes seen through the animals body are reproductive organs.
Open ocean drifting with the currents.
A predator of small fish and crustaceans.
A collective term for jellyfish is a smack of jelly fish!
Contrary to common belief this common jellyfish cannot sting humans. Every few years Otago Harbour gets large numbers of these jellys washing in with the tide in autumn.
Collins: Gunson