''Rhopilema nomadica'', the nomad jellyfish, is a

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 umbrell ...

indigenous to tropical warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Since 1970's it has been also found in Mediterranean Sea, where it entered via the Suez Canal (

Lessepsian migration The Lessepsian migration (also called Erythrean invasion) is the migration of marine species across the Suez Canal, usually from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and more rarely in the opposite direction. When the canal was completed in 18 ...

). It has been found in the Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, and in the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It is located between the Balkans ...

off the coast of

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...

. ''R. nomadica'''s body is light blue and the bell is rounded. It can grow up to 10 kg of weight, and its bell is commonly 40–60 cm in diameter, but can be up to 90 cm. The European Union lists it as one of the worst invasive marine species in European waters.

Effects on humans

''R. nomadica'' can cause very painful injuries to humans, since it has vermicular filaments, which are covered in venomous stinging cells, in the mouth arms. The ''R. nomadica'' had caused the largest numbers of envenomisations along the southern

Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is ...

coast. These jellyfishes are notorious for the large swarms they form in the summertime. The ''R. nomadica'' have caused a socioeconomic problem in Israel because of such outbreaks, during which they can release their venomous stinging cells. The outbreak has caused seaside visits to be reduced from 3-10.5%, causing a monetary loss of $6 million for recreational beaches. Their presence can clog up

seawater Seawater, or salt water, is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% (35 g/L, 35 ppt, 600 mM). This means that every kilogram (roughly one liter by volume) of seawater has appr ...

intake systems, such as those used by seawater-cooled

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an el ...

Nutrition

''R. nomadica'' are planktotrophic, meaning that they feed off of plankton for their nutritional and also for their survival needs.

Environmental Needs

''R. nomadica'' are seen to survive in various water temperatures. They can survive from anywhere from 16 degree Celsius to 31 degree Celsius.

References

5. Uysal, İ., & Turan, C. (2020). Impacts and risk of venomous and sting marine alien species in Turkish marine waters. Biharean Biologist, 14(1), 41-8.

Effects on humans

Nutrition

Environmental Needs

References

Further reading