Not a Jellyfish? Then What Is It?

❺ Things about Abyssal Comb Jelly ➀ Not a jellyfish! Despite looking similar, the Abyssal Comb Jelly is not a true jellyfish. It belongs to a different phylum called Ctenophora, while jellyfish are in the Cnidaria phylum. ➁. No sting here Unlike jellyfish that use stinging cells (cnidocytes) to catch prey, comb jellies use colloblasts—sticky cells that trap food without stinging. ➂. Different inside and out Comb jellies have a completely different body structure from jellyfish. For example, they have rows of beating cilia (tiny hairs) called "combs" for movement, instead of pulsating bells. ➃. Evolutionary mystery Some scientists believe comb jellies may have evolved before sponges, making them potentially the earliest animals on Earth—even older than jellyfish! ➄. Look-alikes by chanceThe similarity in appearance between comb jellies and jellyfish is a case of convergent evolution—when unrelated organisms develop similar traits to adapt to similar environments. Like and subscribe for more brain fuel discoveries!