---
title: "Jellyfish & Cnidarians (Cnidaria & Ctenophora) | Evolutionary Clade | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "Microscopic pressurized harpoon cells, bioluminescent bells, and cellular immortality. Explore 10 species in the Jellyfish & Cnidarians evolutionary lineage."
image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/icon-512.png"
---

# Jellyfish & Cnidarians (*Cnidaria & Ctenophora*)

> Microscopic pressurized harpoon cells, bioluminescent bells, and cellular immortality.

Cnidarians are radially symmetrical aquatic organisms that lack brains, blood, and bones. Despite their primitive anatomy, their tentacles are armed with nematocysts: pressurized microscopic harpoon capsules that fire neurotoxins at accelerations matching speeding bullets. Comb jellies are filed here too and skip the harpoons entirely: their tentacles are armed with colloblasts, cells that discharge adhesive substances to aid in subduing prey.

## Key Evolutionary Adaptations

- Nematocyst harpoon tubules accelerate at over 5,000,000 g, piercing skin and injecting venom in under 700 nanoseconds.
- Turritopsis dohrnii jellyfish can reverse their life cycle from mature medusa back to polyp stage when damaged or stressed.
- Portuguese man o wars are siphonophore superorganisms composed of four specialized zooid classes working as a single colony.

## Member Species (10 Creatures)

- [Beadlet Anemone](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/beadlet-anemone/) (*Actinia equina*)
  - **Superpower**: A sting from its blue acrorhagi leads a neighbor to crawl away or drop off the rock
  - **Musical Match**: Refused (Hardcore Punk & Post-Hardcore)
- [Box Jellyfish](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/box-jellyfish/) (*Chironex fleckeri*)
  - **Superpower**: 24 eyes and no brain to run them, plus pore-forming venom that drives potassium out of human blood cells within 5 minutes
  - **Musical Match**: Crystal Castles (Darkwave & Ethereal Witch House)
- [Comb Jelly](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/comb-jelly/) (*Pleurobrachia pileus*)
  - **Superpower**: Eight ciliated diffraction comb rows, and colloblasts, cells that discharge adhesive substances to aid in subduing prey
  - **Musical Match**: Donna Summer (70s Pop & Glam Disco)
- [Hydra](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/hydra/) (*Hydra vulgaris*)
  - **Superpower**: Replaces all of its cells within four weeks
  - **Musical Match**: GAS (Glacial Ambient & Drone Soundscapes)
- [Immortal Jellyfish](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/immortal-jellyfish/) (*Turritopsis dohrnii*)
  - **Superpower**: Life cycle reversal: a damaged, starved or aging medusa becomes a cyst, then a polyp
  - **Musical Match**: M83 (Dream Pop & Shoegaze)
- [Irukandji Jellyfish](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/irukandji-jellyfish/) (*Carukia barnesi*)
  - **Superpower**: Twitches its tentacles like fishing lures to draw in larval fish
  - **Musical Match**: Jon Hopkins (IDM & Glitch Ambient Synthesis)
- [Lion's Mane Jellyfish](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/lions-mane-jellyfish/) (*Cyanea capillata*)
  - **Superpower**: Tentacles speculated to trail up to 36.6 meters (120 feet); many authorities rank it the longest of all jellyfish.
  - **Musical Match**: Tim Hecker (Glacial Ambient & Drone Soundscapes)
- [Moon Jellyfish](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/moon-jellyfish/) (*Aurelia aurita*)
  - **Superpower**: Recycles energy from its own swimming stroke to travel 30% further with every pulse
  - **Musical Match**: Scientist (Roots Reggae & Heavy Dub)
- [Portuguese Man o' War](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/portuguese-man-o-war/) (*Physalia physalis*)
  - **Superpower**: A colony of clones working together as one, with four specialized parts for floating, capturing prey, feeding, and reproduction.
  - **Musical Match**: SALEM (Darkwave & Ethereal Witch House)
- [Staghorn Coral](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/staghorn-coral/) (*Acropora cervicornis*)
  - **Superpower**: Grows up to 8 inches of branch a year, and broken pieces re-attach to start new colonies
  - **Musical Match**: Goldie (Drum & Bass / Precision Jungle)

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