Box jellyfish how many eyes does it have

Materials provided by Cell Press. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. Story Source: Materials provided by Cell Press. ScienceDaily, 30 April Cell Press. Through unique eyes, box jellyfish look out to the world above the water. Retrieved November 9, from www.

And not just one or two eyes, but 24 in total. Their eyes are bundled into four structures called rhopalia, which sit around the bottom of its bell. Two of the eye types have the capability to form images, while the other two types help with swimming navigation, avoiding obstacles, and responding to light. They are pale blue and transparent in color and get their name from the cube-like shape of their bell.

Up to 15 tentacles grow from each corner of the bell and can reach 10 feet in length. Each tentacle has about 5, stinging cells, which are triggered not by touch but by the presence of a chemical on the outer layer of its prey. Box jellies are highly advanced among jellyfish. They have developed the ability to move rather than just drift, jetting at up to four knots through the water. They also have eyes grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of their bell.

All rights reserved. Common Name: Box Jellyfish. Scientific Name: Cubozoa. Type: Invertebrates. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: Fluther, smack. Normally, a pair of their middle eyes is larger and provide the highest resolution used, for example, in hunting and navigation. Others with less resolution are used for light intensity measurements and motion detection.

And how does the box jellyfish process the information from its eyes? It has a nervous system, but a very simple one. Current Biology.

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