Feeding Currents Generated by Upside Down Jellyfish
Terry Rodriguez, Christina Hamlet, Megan Gyoerkoe, and Laura Miller

TL;DR
This study investigates the fluid flow generated by upside down jellyfish using experiments and simulations, revealing how their pulsing creates feeding currents and mixing around their oral arms.
Contribution
It combines videography, flow visualization, and numerical simulation to analyze the unique pulsing and flow patterns of upside down jellyfish, including the effects of porous oral arms.
Findings
Significant mixing occurs around oral arms and secondary mouths.
Numerical simulations agree with experimental flow visualization.
Porous oral arms induce net horizontal flow towards the bell.
Abstract
We present fluid dynamics videos of the pulsing dynamics and the resulting fluid flow generated by the upside down jellyfish, Cassiopea spp. Medusae of this genus are unusual in that they typically rest upside down on the ocean floor and pulse their bells to generate feeding currents, only swimming when significantly disturbed. The pulsing kinematics and fluid flow around these upside down jellyfish is investigated using a combination of videography, flow visualization, and numerical simulation. Significant mixing occurs around and directly above the oral arms and secondary mouths. Numerical simulations using the immersed boundary method with a porous layer representing the oral arms agree with the experimental results. The simulations also suggest that the presence of porous oral arms induce net horizontal flow towards the bell. Coherent vortex rings are not seen in the wake above the…
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Taxonomy
TopicsMarine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology · Erythrocyte Function and Pathophysiology · Hippo pathway signaling and YAP/TAZ
