''Polyorchis'', or bell jellies, is a genus of

hydrozoa Hydrozoa (hydrozoans; ) are a taxonomic class of individually very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most of which inhabit saline water. The colonies of the colonial species can be large, and in some cases the specializ ...

ns in the family Corynidae. They are transparent with red coloration in their internal organs and eye spots around the rim of their bell. The red pigmentation helps them camouflage. They are often found in harbors, marinas, and other calm waters close to shore. They feed on plankton and benthic crustaceans and are found near the sea floor. The bells can reach about 2.25 inches (5 cm). '' P. pencillatus'' is nicknamed "red-eyed jellyfish". At the base of the tentacles are several eyes, called

ocelli A simple eye (sometimes called a pigment pit) refers to a form of eye or an optical arrangement composed of a single lens and without an elaborate retina such as occurs in most vertebrates. In this sense "simple eye" is distinct from a multi-l ...

, which contain light-sensing cells and red

pigment A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compo ...

s. Anna Klompen ''et al.''
Peering Into the Inner Workings of Evolution With Jellyfish Eyes
On: SciTechDaily, April 8, 2022. Source: University of Kansas.

References

External links

* Corynidae Hydrozoan genera {{Anthoathecata-stub