World Jellyfish Day is on November 3 to raise awareness about jellyfish and their ecological importance. Since 2014, this day highlights the importance of such ancient creatures that have existed since before the time of the dinosaurs by over 500 million years.

Scope

World Jellyfish Day has several purposes:

• Ecological awareness: The role of jellyfish in maintaining the balance of marine food webs is to play both the role of predator and prey. They are mainly used to feed on plankton and are eaten by various species such as sea turtles and larger fish.
• Research and conservation: The day is a call to research the biology of jellyfish, from its potential medical application, such as in the study of bioluminescent proteins. Its conservation is also in the spotlight with climate change and habitat loss threatening jellyfish.

• Cultural importance: In other cultures, jellyfish are considered delicacies, which are used for medicinal purposes, showing their importance other than ecological functions.

Interesting facts

• Jellyfish are mostly 95% water and have no bones, hearts or even a brain in the center of their body.
• They also glow in the dark. They have bioluminescent organs that can cause them to emit blue or green light when stimulated.
• A group of jellyfish is called a “bloom”, “swarm” or “smack”. These terms represent the wonders of the jellyfish.

celebrate

World Jellyfish Day can be celebrated by:

• Educational activities: Engaging in activities that raise awareness of the marine ecosystem.
• Local conservation efforts aimed at preserving marine life.

Jellyfish emit different shades of light through a chemical reaction involving some molecules and enzymes. The two key products that cause jellyfish bioluminescence are luciferin and luciferase.\

Color production process

Chemical reaction:

Luciferin and oxygen combine with the help of an enzyme called luciferase and produce light. This reaction can result in different colors depending on the types of luciferin and luciferase that are involved and also varies with environmental conditions.

The light emitted can be blue, green, or any of the colors that are more commonly seen in marine bioluminescence because those wavelengths travel best through water.

Varieties of luciferin:

There are many types of luciferin in different organisms, so different colors are produced. Some jellyfish contain a certain luciferin called coelenterazine and is known to produce blue-green light.

The color of the emitted light is determined by the specific chemical structure of luciferin; thus, differences in these molecules can lead to differences in bioluminescence color between different species.

The environmental factor:

The surrounding environment also determines the perceived color of the emitted light. For example, blue light is more effective for communication and prey in deep environments where sunlight does not penetrate.

Today is World Jellyfish Day, a strange holiday. Remind people of the intricate connections that exist in marine ecosystems and the urgent need for sustainable practices aimed at healthy oceans.