Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) — A lion's mane jellyfish drifts in the Baltic Sea near Kiel.
Creator: [Wusel007](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Wusel007), [Wikimedia Commons file](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cyanea_Capillata_Baltic_Sea.JPG), CC BY-SA 3.0; also GNU FDL version 1.2 or any later version, with no invariant sections, front-cover texts, or back-cover texts. Licences: [CC BY-SA 3.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en), [GNU FDL 1.2 or later](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html).
Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0
View image sourceSpecies record
Lion's Mane Jellyfish
Cyanea capillata
Explore the Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.
Summary
The lion's mane jellyfish is a large cold-water jellyfish found in the Atlantic and Pacific, including the North Sea and Baltic. Its drifting medusa phase hunts in the water column using stinging tentacles, while its polyp stage lives attached to the seabed.
Classification in this archive
- Kingdom: Animals
- Phylum: Cnidarians
- Class: True jellyfish
- Order: Semaeostomeae
- Family: Cyaneidae
- Genus: Cyanea
Habitat and distribution
Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.
- Habitat
- pelagic cold and temperate waters, benthic surfaces during the polyp stage
- Selected regions
- Asia, Europe, North America
Conservation status
Conservation status not recorded.
Did you know?
- In rare cases, a lion’s mane jellyfish can have tentacles longer than 30 metres.
More images
Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) — A lion's mane jellyfish trails long, fine tentacles below its bell.
Creator: Photo: [Arnstein Rønning](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Eaglestein), [Wikimedia Commons file](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cyanea_capillata_no.JPG), CC BY 3.0. Licence: [CC BY 3.0 deed](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en).
Licence: CC BY 3.0
View image sourceSources and attribution
General
Smithsonian Ocean — How Big Do Jellyfish Get?Accessed 2026-10-01
Identification
World Register of Marine Species — Cyanea capillataAccessed 2026-10-01
Summary
Animal Diversity Web — Cyanea capillataAccessed 2026-10-01