| Cannonball jellyfish | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Scyphozoa |
| Order: | Rhizostomeae |
| Family: | Stomolophidae |
| Genus: | Stomolophus |
| Species: | S. meleagris
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| Binomial name | |
| Stomolophus meleagris | |
The cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), also known as the cabbagehead jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Stomolophidae. Its common name derives from its similarity to a cannonball in shape and size. Its dome-shaped bell can reach 25 cm (10 in) in diameter. The rim is often colored with brown pigment. There are several known undescribed Stomolophus species found in the Pacific and South Atlantic that exhibit pale to blue pigment. They are genetically different from the individuals found in the North Atlantic - but are commonly misidentified as such. Underneath the body is a cluster of oral arms that extend out around the mouth. These arms function in propulsion and as an aid in catching prey.[2] Cannonballs are prominent from North America's eastern seaboard to the Gulf of Mexico.
- ^ Agassiz, Louis (1860). Contributions to the natural history of the United States of America. Vol. 3. Boston: Little Brown and Co. p. 301.
- ^ "Cannonball Jellyfish". Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 2007-08-19. Retrieved 2009-02-10.