Largest Jellyfish Species in the Ocean, List of Top-10

Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), found in the cold waters of the Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans, stands as the largest jellyfish species in the world. Check the names of top-10 largest jellyfish species in the ocean with some interesting facts about them.

Akansha Arora Published On November 4th, 2024

The ocean is home to some incredible creatures, and jellyfish are among the most fascinating. Known for their soft bodies, jellyfish come in many shapes and sizes. Some species grow to enormous sizes, making them the giants of the ocean. Here’s a look at the top-10 largest jellyfish species in the world’s oceans.

World’s Largest Jellyfish

The world’s largest jellyfish is the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), found in the cold waters of the Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. Its bell can grow over 7 feet wide, and its tentacles can reach an impressive 120 feet—longer than a blue whale! This jellyfish uses its many tentacles to catch small fish and plankton as it drifts along ocean currents.

Key Facts Related to World’s Largest Jellyfish

Here are some key facts about the world’s largest jellyfish, the Lion’s Mane Jellyfish:

Species: Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), one of the largest known jellyfish species.
Habitat: Found in cold waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans.
Size: Bell can reach 210 cm (7 ft) wide; tentacles up to 36.6 m (120 ft) long.
Unique Appearance: Known for long, flowing tentacles resembling a lion’s mane.
Life Cycle: Reproduces both sexually and asexually with four life stages.
Sting: Can sting humans, causing pain and redness; vinegar helps neutralize stings.
Predators: Eaten mainly by sea turtles, especially leatherback turtles.
Longest Animal: Among the longest animals in the world, surpassing even blue whales.
Pop Culture: Featured in “The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Common Names: Also called Arctic Red Jellyfish, Hair Jelly, and Sea Blubber.

Top-10 Largest Jellyfish Species in the Ocean

Lion’s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), found in the cold waters of the Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans, stands as the largest jellyfish species in the world, followed by Nomura’s Jellyfish, Pink Meanie and Stygomedusa gigantea.

Here is the list of top-10 largest jellyfish species in the ocean:

Top-10 Largest Jellyfish Species in the Ocean
Rank	Name	Scientific Name	Bell Size	Tentacle Length	Location	Key Facts
1.	Lion’s Mane	Cyanea capillata	7 feet	120 feet	Atlantic Ocean, northern Pacific Ocean	The largest known jellyfish, with up to 1,000 tentacles that capture prey with bioluminescent light.
2.	Nomura’s Jellyfish	Nemopilema nomurai	6 feet	6 feet	China, Japan	Weighing over 400 pounds, it disrupts fishing by becoming entangled in nets.
3.	Pink Meanie	Drymonema larsoni	3 feet	70 feet	Gulf of Mexico	Has over 200 stingers on average, and preys on other jellyfish.
4.	Stygomedusa gigantea	Stygomedusa gigantean	3 feet	No tentacles	Pacific Ocean	Found near ocean floor at 7,000 feet depth, it has four arms that can reach up to 30 feet.
5.	Sea Nettle	Chrysaora	3 feet	6 feet	Pacific Ocean (California, Hawaii, Japan)	The Black Sea Nettle is dark maroon and was the largest invertebrate species described in the 20th century.
6.	Tiburonia	Tiburonia granrojo	2.5 feet	No tenctacles	Monterey Bay, California	Known for its purple stripes, it often travels with crabs that eat its parasites.
7.	Purple Striped Jelly	Chrysaora colorata	2.3 feet	1 foot	Monterey Bay, California	Known for its purple stripes, it often travels with crabs that eat its parasites.
8.	Barrel Jellyfish	Rhizostoma pulmo	1.5 feet	8 inches	Irish Sea, Coastal UK	Also known as the “dustbin-lid fish,” it’s a favorite meal of the leatherback turtle.
9.	Venus’s Girdle	Cestum veneris	No bell	No tentacle	Mediterranean Sea	Appears as a translucent purple ribbon. It has small tentacles on one side and a mouth on the opposite side.
10.	Sea Wasp	Chironex fleckeri	20 inches	30 inches	South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand	Known as the most lethal jellyfish, causing over 65 human deaths.