Ribbon jellyfish (Chrysaora sp.) on the Shores of Singapore

wildsingapore homepage

wildfactsheets homepage
wild shores of singapore blog

all animals | all plants | concepts | glossary | search

Phylum Cnidaria | jellyfish | Class Scyphozoa > Order Semaeostomeae

Ribbon jellyfish
Chrysaora sp.
Family Pelagiidae
updated Dec 2019

Where seen? This jellyfish with long trailing ribbon-like oral arms is sometimes seen in numbers on our shores, more commonly on our Southern shores. And then they are not seen again for some time.

Features: Bell translucent about 8-12cm, thin long tentacles around the bell, ribbon-like oral arms 20-50cm long. The oral arms are flat and ribbon-like with ruffled edges. The animal may be all white, or have orange or pink oral arms. Sometimes the edge of the bell has large brown dots.

Jelly friends: Small fish have been seen sheltering among its tentacles and arms.

Terumbu Semakau, Mar 11

Ribbons of Pain! This jellyfish stings painfully and powerfully. In the water, the jellyfish is translucent and easily overlooked, until you brush against one of its long stinging arms with bare skin.

Stingers are still active even after the jellyfish is dead or dying. So don't touch jellyfish, or bits of jellyfish, even if these are stranded on the beach.

How to stay safe: Do not touch jellyfishes. Wear covered shoes and long pants to cover all skin exposed to water.