The immortal jellyfish is tinier than the nail on your smallest finger. Several different species of the genus Turritopsis were formerly classified as T. nutricula, including the "immortal jellyfish" which is now classified as T. dohrnii. Turritopsis dohrnii, also known as the immortal jellyfish, is a species of small, biologically immortal jellyfish found worldwide in temperate to tropic waters.
Some of them are far out in the water and … But when T. dohrnii suffers a physical attack, or starvation, or some kind of environmental stress, instead of dying, they change firstly into a tiny blob, and then back to the polyp stage within 3 days.
But the unique quality of being immortal makes it different from other sea creatures. Apparently, size does not matter for this immortal creature. A potentially "immortal" jellyfish species that can age backward—the Benjamin Button of the deep—is silently invading the world's oceans, swarm by swarm, a recent study says. Now T. dohrnii jellyfish can be eaten by bigger creatures – so they are not truly immortal. Immortal jellyfish are best known for their ability to avoid death from old age or severe wounds, by reverting back into a polyp form from being an adult jellyfish, by altering their cells – a process called ‘transdifferentiation’. And like most jellyfish, it has a transparent bell lined with many tentacles. Some species live at the bottom of the ocean floor while others are very close to the surface. The habitat for Jellyfish is very vast as they can live in any ocean water. Now T. dohrnii jellyfish can be eaten by bigger creatures – so they are not truly immortal. Forever. The immortal jellyfish propagate, and then, instead of dying like the rest of the living creatures, they choose to revert to a sexually immature stage, and go through it all over again. The turritopsis dohrnii is bell-shaped and it is at maximum 4.5mm (0.18 inch) tall and wide. The immortal jellyfish is immortal because of it’s ability to lose its maturity. Turritopsis nutricula is a small hydrozoan that once reaching adulthood, can transfer its cells back to childhood. While researchers still have a long way to go in understanding just how the process which puts the “immortal” in “immortal jellyfish” can work to benefit humans, big strides are being made one step at a time. This adaptive trait likely evolved in order to extend the life of the individual. Turritopsis dohrnii, the ‘Immortal Jellyfish.’ As the jelly ages, it eventually settles onto the sea floor and becomes a colony of polyps (individual organisms). Some species live in the cold Arctic water and others live in the warm tropical waters.
If you want to spot an immortal jellyfish in the ocean, be aware that it is barely visible. The polyps then spawn new, genetically identical jellyfish. • Despite the “immortal” tag, these jellyfish can and do die. Next, check out our compendium of jellyfish facts. The habitat for Jellyfish is very vast as they can live in any ocean water.