Natures wonders: Jellyfish lures (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, June 03, 2015, 15:38 (3459 days ago) @ David Turell

It is tiny but extends long filaments that look like pearls to lure fish, but the jelly fish doesn't have a brain!-"'This species is small, less than two centimeters (three-quarters of an inch) across the bell, they're 96% water, they lack a defined brain or central nervous system, and yet they're using their tentacles and nematocyst clusters like experienced fishers use their lines and lures," lead author Robert Courtney said.-"'They're not opportunistically grazing - they're deliberately fishing. They're targeting and catching fish that are at times as big as they are, and are far more complex animals. This is a really neat animal that is displaying a surprisingly complex prey capture strategy.-
 Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-06-jellyfish-fish.html#jCp-"'The nematocyst clusters look like a series of bright pearls, which the jellyfish twitches to attract the attention of its prey, like a series of fishing lures," Mr Courtney said. "It's a very deliberate and selective form of prey capture."-"Once a fish makes contact with the nematocyst clusters it is quickly paralyzed by Carukia barnesi's powerful venom.-"'It's a highly successful fishing strategy, and the only account of a box jellyfish using aggressive mimicry to capture prey," Mr Courtney said."