Invertebrates
Mauve Stinger
Pelagia noctiluca · also called purple-striped jellyfish
On a calm night in the Mediterranean, a swarm of mauve stingers drifts past a boat, each small bell glowing blue-green where the water touches it.
Overview
The mauve stinger, Pelagia noctiluca, is a small, purple-pink jellyfish of the open Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic that sometimes reaches British shores in summer. Its glow, painful sting, and huge swarms make it one of the most notorious jellyfish in European waters.
A jellyfish that skips a stage
Unlike most jellyfish, the mauve stinger does not pass through a polyp stage on the seabed, so it can bloom in the open sea far from any coast.
Status
Not Evaluated, and swarms are becoming more frequent.
Mauve Stinger: common questions
Why does the mauve stinger glow?
It gives off a blue-green glow when disturbed, which gives the species its scientific name, noctiluca, meaning night light.
Is the mauve stinger dangerous?
Its sting is painful and can leave marks on the skin for days, though it is rarely dangerous to healthy adults.
What is special about its life cycle?
It develops directly from the egg into a jellyfish, with no attached polyp stage on the seabed, unlike most jellyfish.
Where is the mauve stinger found?
It lives in the open waters of the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, and sometimes reaches the coasts of Britain and Ireland.