Mauve stinger jellyfish
Pelagia noctiluca
IUCN Status:Not Evaluated
What do they look like?
A small, vibrant jellyfish, but possesses a surprisingly powerful sting. Has a deep bell with pink or mauve warts and tentacles with deep purple spots. Interestingly, despite the name, they can be a wide range of colours.
Where can they be found?
Most common to the very south and west, but Atlantic currents can bring them far to the north.
Did you know... The mauve stinger puts on an underwater light show by giving off quick flashes of bioluminescent light whenever it’s disturbed, making it appear to glow in the dark. The mauve stinger is also more colourful than its name, appearing in shades of pink, purple, yellow, or tan, often marked with distinctive wart‑like spots across its bell.
Key facts
Eruptions of huge numbers, in spring or autumn, and can cause real problems for fish farms - collectively these small jellyfish can kill many hundreds of salmon.
| IUCN status | Not Evaluated |
|---|---|
| Length | Bell diameter: 3–12 cm; overall length (including tentacles and oral arms) 8–28 cm |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Speed and distance | Passive drifter carried by currents |
| Diet | Carnivorous; eats zooplankton, including shrimp, krill, small fish, copepods, and eggs/larvae of small marine organisms. |
| Habitat | Open ocean |
| Lifespan | 3-9 months |
