Jellyfish DISSECTION lab
Objective: I will be learning about jellyfish anatomy, and dissect a moon jelly (Aurelia Aurita). The moon jelly has a lot of parts, and functions for its primitive species.
Cnidarians - are in a phylum containing over 10,000 species of jelly
Epidermis - the outer layer of cells covering an organism
Mesoglea - Translucent, jelly-like substance found between the two cell layers in the bodies of cnidarians (Jelly)
Gastrodermis - Inner layer of cells that serves as a lining membrane of the cavity of Cnidarians
Tentacles - Slender flexible limb or appendage on an invertebrate, used for grasping and moving about
Manubrium - The tube that bears the mouth of a Cnidarian
Gonad - An organ that produces gender; testis or ovaries
Gastric Pouch - Any pouched radial divisions of the stomach of an invertebrate
Cnidarians - are in a phylum containing over 10,000 species of jelly
Epidermis - the outer layer of cells covering an organism
Mesoglea - Translucent, jelly-like substance found between the two cell layers in the bodies of cnidarians (Jelly)
Gastrodermis - Inner layer of cells that serves as a lining membrane of the cavity of Cnidarians
Tentacles - Slender flexible limb or appendage on an invertebrate, used for grasping and moving about
Manubrium - The tube that bears the mouth of a Cnidarian
Gonad - An organ that produces gender; testis or ovaries
Gastric Pouch - Any pouched radial divisions of the stomach of an invertebrate
Procedure
The class went into the Biotech laboratory. There we took out our school microscopes and took a closer look at our dead Aurelia Aurita. The moon jelly had many fascinating features about it. I think that its radial symmetry is truly amazing. For nature and evolution to create a perfect, symmetric look to an animal is something that blows my mind. We identified the different parts of a jellyfish, and compared our anatomy notes with other people. I think I learned a lot about the Cnidarian Phyla.