23 July 2024

Jellyfish

Look out for compass jellyfish, common off south and west Irish coasts, where many Gaeltacht students learn about smugairle róin. Jellyfish have a very simple body with no heart, bones, liver, brain or lungs. They have stinging cells that they use to capture food and for protection. They feed on fish eggs and larvae and compete with fish for plankton. However they also provide shelter to juvenile fish under the floating jelly habitat. Many marine animals feed entirely on jellyfish. They play an important role in the dynamics and functioning of our coastal marine environments. Compass jellyfish is one of five Irish species, all part of our native Irish biodiversity.