Purple Jellyfish

The Purple Jellyfish (Thysanostoma loriferum) is a pelagic species typically found at depths ranging from 5 to 6 meters. It can attain a maximum length of 20 centimeters and inhabits tropical regions.

This species exhibits between six to eight velar lappets in each octant, which are connected by a membrane. Its mouth-arms conclude in a short, oval, smooth knob. The anatomical structure includes perradial rhopalar canals and a finely-meshed intracircular canal system, with up to 30 canal roots present in each octant.

As members of the class Scyphozoa, these jellyfish are gonochoric, meaning they have distinct male and female individuals. Their life cycle begins with the adult medusa laying eggs, which develop into a free-swimming planula. This planula then progresses to a scyphistoma, transforms into a strobila, and finally matures into a free-swimming young medusa.