Pitcairn Islands 2 Dollars 2010 Silver Proof Jellyfish Australian White Spotted

Description

Phyllorhiza punctata is a species of jellyfish, also known as the Australian spotted jellyfish or the White-spotted jellyfish. It is native to the southwestern Pacific, where it feeds primarily on various snail species. P. punctata average 45-50 cm in bell diameter but there had been a maximum reported size of 62 cm. However, in October, 2007, one 72 cm. wide, perhaps the largest ever recorded, was found on Sunset Beach, NC. In July 2007 smaller ones were seen in Bogue Sound much further north along the North Carolina Coast. They have only a mild venom and are not considered a threat to humans. However, their ability to consume plankton and the eggs and larvae of important fish species is cause for concern. Each jellyfish can filter as much as 13,200 gallons of sea water per day. While doing that, it ingests the plankton that native species need.