Sea anemones, jellyfish and corals all belong in this group. They all look significantly different, and this is due to their life cycles. Cnidarians have two life stages: medusa (free-swimming) and polyps (sessile). Jellyfish are the best example of species which have a free-swimming phase, whereas most only have a polyp stage.

Sea Anemones

Sea Anemones are beautiful sea creatures which come in all shapes, sizes and colours. They can be found on most rocky shores, and some can live in waters up to 200m deep!

Corals

Just like their relatives on the Great Barrier Reef, corals are fleshy organisms which have a calcified skeleton or spines to toughen them up. They are a good example of cnidarians which only have a polyp phase.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish come in a vast variety of shapes, colours and sizes. They all have tentacles which they use to catch their prey, and use their jelly-like body – called an umbrella – to swim, although where they end up depends a lot on the tides and currents! Their tentacles can cause mild pain to humans – but we’ll leave it up to you to decide the best remedy for them 😉