The World’s Most Common Jellyfish

One of the most common and widely recognized jellyfish in the world, the moon jellyfish is clearly distinguishable by its clear, round main body with four purplish-white circles at the top of the bell. Although many beach-goers fear jellyfish due to their powerful stings, the moon jelly is one of the few that do not sting humans. Affectionately called the moon jelly, this cnidarian has relatively short tentacles hanging down from its bell’s sides.

You can go diving with moon jellyfish in the tropical to temperate regions of the northern Atlantic Ocean, both along the coast and out in open water. They are not very strong swimmers, so it is common to see moon jellies washed up on shore after a strong storm. These prevalent jellyfish are a favorite food source to ocean predators like the sunfish and leatherback sea turtles. To see where you can go diving with moon jellyfish, explore the dive site map below.