Morski klobuk, meduze već 650 miliona godina nastanjuju sve okeane i mora na Zemlji. Pripadaju klasi (Scyphozoa), dele se u pet redova i preka 200 vrsta, a latinski naziv (Phylum cnidare) koji dolazi od grčke reči knide (što znači kopriva) potpuno je opravdan jer meduze na pipcima, a neke i na drugim delovima tela imaju na hiljade ćelija sa supstancom koja pri dodiru žari. Najveći broj je potpuno bezopasan za čoveka.
Ova neobična bića mogu biti velika tek nekoliko milimetara, ali i pravi džinovi prečnika preko tri metra i pipaka dugih i do 60 metara, kao što je slučaj sa meduzom (Cyanea arctica). Meduѕe nemaju srce i mozak, prepoznaju samo svetlost i mrak, preko određenih ćelija osećaju dodir i ukus, a pokreću se kontrakcijom mišića. Često ke kroz prozirno telo vide četiri želudačne kese i reproduktivni organi, a sa spoljne strane su dugi resasti usni režnjevi kojima hvata plen i usmerava ga ka ustima.
Meduze se razmnožavaju u dve faze, iz jaja (iz jednog može da se rodi na stotine meduza) i spermatozoida oslobođenih u vodi. Stvaraju se prvo larve - planule, koje se transformišu u malog polipa od koga nastaje meduza.
ETYM Latin Beroe, one of the Oceanidae: cf. French beroé.
Delicately iridescent thimble-shaped ctenophores.
An insulating layer of fat under the skin of whales and other large marine mammals; used as a source of oil.
Thick layer of fat under the skin of marine mammals, which provides an energy store and an effective insulating layer, preventing the loss of body heat to the surrounding water. Blubber has been used (when boiled down) in engineering, food processing, cosmetics, and printing, but all of these products can now be produced synthetically.
Biradially symmetrical hermaphroditic solitary marine animals resembling jellyfishes having for locomotion eight rows of cilia arranged like teeth in a comb; SYN. comb jelly.
Any of a phylum (Ctenophora) of marine animals superficially resembling jellyfishes but having biradial symmetry and swimming by means of eight bands of transverse ciliated plates — called also comb jelly.
Marine invertebrate of the phylum Cnidaria (coelenterates) with an umbrella-shaped body composed of a semitransparent gelatinous substance, with a fringe of stinging tentacles. Most adult jellyfishes move freely, but during parts of their life cycle many are polyplike and attached. They feed on small animals that are paralyzed by stinging cells in the jellyfishes' tentacles.
Any of numerous usually marine and free-swimming coelenterates that constitute the sexually reproductive forms of hydrozoans and scyphozoans; SYN. medusa, medusan.
ETYM Latin, from Greek.
The free-swimming phase in the life cycle of a coelenterate, such as a jellyfish or coral. The other phase is the sedentary polyp.
One of two forms that coelenterates take: is the free-swimming sexual stage in the life cycle of a coelenterate and has a gelatinous umbrella-shaped body and tentacles.
Jedna od tri Gorgone, tj. kćeri Gorgonove koja je htela boginji Ateni da ospori prvenstvo u lepoti, zbog čega je ova njenu lepu uvojitu kosu pretvorila u zmije, a očima joj dala strahovitu moć da se svako pod njihovim pogledom mora pretvoriti u kamen;
(Greek mythology) A woman transformed into a Gorgon by Athena; she was slain by Perseus.
In Greek mythology, a mortal woman who was transformed into a Gorgon. Medusa was slain by Perseus; the winged horse Pegasus was supposed to have sprung from her blood. Her head was so hideous—even in death— that any beholder was turned to stone.