Synonyms: Winter Jellyfish.
The Lion's-mane Jellyfish is a cold season visitor to Maryland's Coastal Bays and the Chesapeake Bay. It is a northern species that barely reaches the Chesapeake Bay. The Lion's-mane Jellyfish we see here are typically much smaller than the jellyfish that stay further north. This is the largest jellyfish species ever recorded! According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, "Lion’s mane jellyfish that visit the Bay average about four to six inches in diameter, similar in size to the sea nettle. Travel further north, however, and you may encounter a much larger specimen. In 1870, the largest recorded lion’s mane jellyfish washed up along a beach in Massachusetts: its body measured more than seven feet in diameter, and its tentacles were 120 feet long."
It can be easily separated from other jellyfish by the bright colors of the inner bell. It's also the only jellyfish in our region that you are likely to observe in winter and early spring. Note distinctive structure and eight clusters of tentacles.
There are 13 records in the project database.
| GA | AL | WA | FR | CL | MO | HO | BA | BC | HA | CE | PG | AA | CV | CH | SM | KE | QA | CN | TA | DO | WI | SO | WO |
