''Chrysaora'' () is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

jellyfish Jellyfish and sea jellies are the informal common names given to the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, a major part of the phylum Cnidaria. Jellyfish are mainly free-swimming marine animals with umbrella- ...

, commonly called the sea nettles, in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Pelagiidae The Pelagiidae are a family of jellyfish. Members of the family ''Pelagiidae'' have no ring canal, and the marginal tentacles arise from umbrella margin. Genera There are four genera currently recognized: *Genus ''Chrysaora'' – (14 species) *G ...

. The origin of the genus name ''Chrysaora'' lies in Greek mythology with Chrysaor, brother of

Pegasus Pegasus ( grc-gre, Πήγασος, Pḗgasos; la, Pegasus, Pegasos) is one of the best known creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine stallion usually depicted as pure white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as hor ...

and son of

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ch ...

and

Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα "guardian, protectress"), also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. Those ...

. Translated, ''Chrysaor'' means "he who has a golden armament."

Species

There are 16 recognized species in the genus ''Chrysaora'': * ''

Chrysaora achlyos The black sea nettle (''Chrysaora achlyos''), sometimes informally known as the jumbo jelly or black jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish that can be found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Its range is thought to be from Monterey Bay in t ...

'' – black sea nettle * ''

Chrysaora africana ''Chrysaora africana'', the purple compass jelly, is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. Found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean from Gabon to the western coast of South Africa (although uncommon in the far south of its range), i ...

'' * '' Chrysaora agulhensis'' * '' Chrysaora chesapeakei'' - Atlantic bay nettle * ''

Chrysaora chinensis ''Chrysaora chinensis'', or the Indonesian sea nettle, is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific region and its sting is considered dangerous. First described by Ernst Vanhöffen in 1888, in 191 ...

'' * '' Chrysaora colorata'' – purple-striped jelly * '' Chrysaora fulgida'' * ''

Chrysaora fuscescens The Pacific sea nettle (''Chrysaora fuscescens''), or West Coast sea nettle, is a common planktonic scyphozoan that lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico. Sea nettles have a distinctive golden-brown bell with a reddish tint. ...

'' – Pacific sea nettle * '' Chrysaora helvola'' * '' Chrysaora hysoscella'' – compass jellyfish * '' Chrysaora lactea'' * '' Chrysaora melanaster'' – northern sea nettle * '' Chrysaora pacifica'' – Japanese sea nettle * '' Chrysaora pentastoma'' * '' Chrysaora plocamia'' – South American sea nettle * '' Chrysaora quinquecirrha'' – Atlantic sea nettle

Invalid species names

*''Chrysaora blossevillei'' Lesson 1830

omen dubium An omen (also called ''portent'') is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. It was commonly believed in ancient times, and still believed by some today, that omens bring divine messages f ...

*''Chrysaora caliparea'' (Reynaud 1830) pecies inquirendaref name="MM2010"> *''Chrysaora depressa'' (Kishinouye 1902) ccepted as ''Chrysaora melanaster'' Brandt 1838*''Chrysaora kynthia'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008

ref name="MM2010" /> *''Chrysaora southcotti'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008 ccepted as ''Chrysaora pentastoma'' Péron & Lesueur, 1810ref name="MM2010" /> *''Chrysaora wurlerra'' Gershwin & Zeidler 2008

ref name="MM2010" />

References

Cnidarian genera Pelagiidae {{Scyphozoa-stub