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Jellyfish Lake

By cmcclain on May 20, 2007.

Via Neatorama..

Jellyfish Lake is an isolated saltwater lake in the Pacific island of Palau. In the geologic past it was tied to the ocean acquring jellyfish.  These jellyfish have become an isolated population lossing thier nematocysts (stinging cells).  They thrive in the lake at high number due to the lack of predators. [from Rick Macpherson] The jellies have acquired algal endosymbionts in their tissue (same genus as the zooxanthellae in coral)... during the day, the jellies rise to the surface in masses and track along the surface of the lake as the earth rotates... at night, the jellies sink to the deeper, anoxic but hyper-nitrogen waters of the lake to "fertilize" their algal tentants.

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craig...

cool vid but the mastigias jellies in palau don't feed on phytoplankton... they are more farmers than hunters... the jellies have acquired algal endosymbionts in their tissue (same genus as the zooxanthellae in coral)... during the day, the jellies rise to the surface in masses and track along the surface of the lake as the earth rotates... at night, the jellies sink to the deeper, anoxic but hyper-nitrogen waters of the lake to "fertilize" their algal tentants...

cool place and if you haven't visited it's a must add to your life list!

It's been a while since I've seen it, but I believe these jellies were showcased in the IMAX film "The Living Sea", which I think is one of the best IMAX movies out there. I'm going to assume that every marine scientist has already seen it so I won't tell you to run out ASAP to catch it (not sure if it's in IMAX theaters anymore and I doubt watching it on TV would be any where near as good anyways). Plus, Sting does a great job with the soundtrack.