Aurelia

Aurelia is a genus of jellyfish in the class Scyphozoa, commonly known as moon jellyfish. Members of this genus are found in temperate coastal waters around the world, often in bays and harbors where nutrient-rich plankton supports their feeding. The medusae are typically translucent or milky with a bell diameter that commonly ranges from 25 to 40 centimeters, though sizes vary by species.

Morphology and life cycle: The bell is saucer-shaped, and four horseshoe-shaped gonads are often visible through the underside of the bell. Aurelia species feed by capturing plankton with their tentacles. They exhibit a metagenetic life cycle, alternating between sessile polyps (scyphistoma) and free-swimming medusae. Polyps reproduce asexually by budding, producing young medusae (ephyrae) through a process called strobilation.

Taxonomy and species: The genus includes several species, the best known being Aurelia aurita, the common moon jelly, and Aurelia coerulea, the blue moon jelly. Species boundaries have been revised as molecular methods clarified relationships within the group.

Etymology and other uses: The name Aurelia derives from Latin aurelius, meaning golden. The term is also used as a feminine given name. In computing, Aurelia is a JavaScript front-end framework for building web applications, introduced in the 2010s as an option for modular, component-based development.