Kyrophian Sun Jelly
Kyrophian sun jellies are a common species of jellyfish found across Kyrophis. They are a popular animal grown in Polyp Fields and are often used in cuisine.
Anatomy
The main characteristic of these jellies are their five horseshoe shaped gonads, specialised reproductive glands. These animals are almost entirely translucent, with the bright yellow gonads being their most defining features.
Like others in its genus, kyrophian sun jellys lack long stinging tentacles. In their place are hundreds of tiny tentacles, no thicker than a strand of hair. They stand out amongst their genus with their yellow glow. Most sun jellies grow to around 30cm in diameter.
Diet
These jellies feed on plankton and zooplankton, and any other organisms small and delicate enough to get captured in their tentacle strands. They don't need a lot of food to survive, as almost no energy is used to locomote.
Reproduction & Growth
The planulas of sun jellies are free-swimming for approximately two days, before anchoring on any surface and forming a polyp. The ephyrae take three weeks to form, breaking off and becoming a free-swimming medusa.
These medusa exist for approximately seven months.
Habitat
Sun jellies can be found worldwide between the surface and two thousands metres below sea level. They can handle oceans of ranging salinities and oxygen levels. Their ability to tolerate extremely low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels means their distribution is much wider than most other jellyfish species.
Kyrophian sun jellies can even be found in urban currents, the paths travelling cities follow where pollution levels are elevated.
Uses
Culinary
Sun jellies are grown and harvested in their polyp forms in large Polyp Fields. These polyps are used in many dishes around the globe. They are popular supplements in seafood dishes, inducing a strong, pleasant odour.
Polyps are sometimes eaten on their own as snacks, mixed in with spices.
Recreational
Sun jelly polyps, when crushed, produce a gaseous odour. When absorbed into the bloodstream, the polyps have psychoactive tendencies. The effects of the polyps include relaxation and intense euphoria. Crushing polyps to produce this gas takes a surprising amount of effort, more than the average kephalon can manage without tools.
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