''Chrysaora'' () is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

jellyfish Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbrella- ...

, commonly called the sea nettles, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Pelagiidae The Pelagiidae are a family of jellyfish. Members of the family ''Pelagiidae'' have no ring canal, and the marginal tentacles arise from umbrella margin. Genera There are four genera currently recognized: *Genus ''Chrysaora'' – (14 species) *G ...

. The origin of the genus name ''Chrysaora'' lies in Greek mythology with

Chrysaor In Greek mythology, Chrysaor ( el, Χρυσάωρ, ''Chrysáor'', ''gen''.: Χρυσάορος, ''Chrysáoros''; English translation: "he who has a golden sword" rom χρυσός, "golden" and ἄορ, "sword", was the brother of the winged ho ...

, brother of

Pegasus Pegasus ( grc-gre, Πήγασος, Pḗgasos; la, Pegasus, Pegasos) is one of the best known creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as hor ...

and son of

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ch ...

and

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

. Translated, ''Chrysaor'' means "he who has a golden armament."

Species

There are 16 recognized species in the genus ''Chrysaora'': * '' Chrysaora achlyos'' – black sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora africana ''Chrysaora africana'', the purple compass jelly, is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. Found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean from Gabon to the western coast of South Africa (although uncommon in the far south of its range), i ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora agulhensis ''Chrysaora'' () is a genus of jellyfish, commonly called the sea nettles, in the Family (biology), family Pelagiidae. The origin of the genus name ''Chrysaora'' lies in Greek mythology with Chrysaor, brother of Pegasus and son of Poseidon and M ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora chesapeakei ''Chrysaora chesapeakei'' is a sea nettle from the family Pelagiidae. It was shown to be a distinct species from ''Chrysaora quinquecirrha'' in 2017. Since then, it is also commonly known as the bay nettle. It is mainly found in the Chesapeake ...

'' - Atlantic bay nettle * ''

Chrysaora chinensis ''Chrysaora chinensis'', or the Indonesian sea nettle, is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific region and its sting is considered dangerous. First described by Ernst Vanhöffen in 1888, in 191 ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora colorata ''Chrysaora colorata'' (Russell), commonly known as the purple-striped jelly, is a species of jellyfish that exists primarily off the coast of California from Bodega Bay to San Diego. The bell (body) of the jellyfish is up to in diameter, typica ...

'' – purple-striped jelly * ''

Chrysaora fulgida ''Chrysaora fulgida'', the Benguela compass jelly, is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. Found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of South Africa (an area affected by the Benguela Current), its Taxonomy (bio ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora fuscescens The Pacific sea nettle (''Chrysaora fuscescens''), or West Coast sea nettle, is a common Plankton, planktonic scyphozoan that lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico. Sea nettles have a distinctive golden-brown bell with a redd ...

'' – Pacific sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora helvola ''Chrysaora helvola'' is a jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. Although still recognized as a valid species by the World Register of Marine Species, its taxonomic history is confusing and recent reviews of the genus have not recognized it. Taxon ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora hysoscella ''Chrysaora hysoscella'', the compass jellyfish, is a common species of jellyfish that inhabits coastal waters in temperate regions of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, including the North Sea and Mediterranean Sea. In the past it was also record ...

'' – compass jellyfish * ''

Chrysaora lactea ''Chrysaora lactea'' is a sea nettle in the family Pelagiidae. This jellyfish has a bell diameter of up to , and it is native to the Atlantic coast of South America. It has also been reported from the Caribbean region, but genetic studies indica ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora melanaster ''Chrysaora melanaster'', commonly known as the northern sea nettle or brown jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish native to the northern Pacific Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. It is sometimes referred to as a Pacific sea nettle, ...

'' – northern sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora pacifica ''Chrysaora pacifica'', commonly named the Japanese sea nettle, is a jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. This common species is native to the northwest Pacific Ocean, including Japan and Korea, but it was formerly confused with the larger and mo ...

'' – Japanese sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora pentastoma ''Chrysaora pentastoma'' is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. This small sea nettle has a strong sting and it is found in coastal waters of eastern South Australia. Taxonomy ''C. pentastoma'' was described in 1810. Its original ...

'' * ''

Chrysaora plocamia The South American sea nettle (''Chrysaora plocamia'') is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. It is found from the Pacific coast of Peru, south along Chile's coast to Tierra del Fuego, and north along the Atlantic coast of Argenti ...

'' – South American sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora quinquecirrha The Atlantic sea nettle (''Chrysaora quinquecirrha''), also called the East Coast sea nettle in the United States, is a species of jellyfish that inhabits the Atlantic coast of the United States. Historically it was confused with several ''Chry ...

'' – Atlantic sea nettle

Invalid species names

*''Chrysaora blossevillei'' Lesson 1830 omen dubium*''Chrysaora caliparea'' (Reynaud 1830) pecies inquirendaref name="MM2010"> *''Chrysaora depressa'' (Kishinouye 1902) ccepted as ''Chrysaora melanaster'' Brandt 1838*''Chrysaora kynthia'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008 omen dubiumref name="MM2010" /> *''Chrysaora southcotti'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008 ccepted as ''Chrysaora pentastoma'' Péron & Lesueur, 1810ref name="MM2010" /> *''Chrysaora wurlerra'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008 omen dubiumref name="MM2010" />

References

Cnidarian genera Pelagiidae {{Scyphozoa-stub