[kellyhound]

The Mediterranean Fried Egg Jelly aka Cotylorhiza tuberculata) is a species that is a common sight for swimmers in Europe, known for its short mouth-arms tipped with white and intense purple, button-like balls.

The bell averages about 35 cm (14 inches) across but can grow up to 50 cm. they reside in warm, shallow coastal waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea and Adriatic Sea.

They love to swim near the surface where there is plenty of sunlight.

This jellyfish shares a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae called zooxanthellae that live inside its tissues. The algae photosynthesize sun rays into nutrients for the jelly, contributing directly to its vivid yellow-egg color.

Unlike most jellyfish that rely strictly on ocean currents to drift, this species can actively pulse and move completely independently.