Does jellyfish classified into phylum Mollusca?
Check out this answer from Consensus:
Jellyfish are not classified under the phylum Mollusca. Instead, they belong to the phylum Cnidaria, which is characterized by the presence of cnidocysts and includes various classes such as Scyphozoa, Staurozoa, Cubozoa, and Hydrozoa. The phylum Mollusca, on the other hand, encompasses a different group of organisms, including gastropods and bivalves.
Jellyfish are commonly known as gelatinous zooplanktons and are often associated with the phylum Cnidaria. This analysis aims to determine whether jellyfish are classified under the phylum Mollusca.
Key Insights
- Jellyfish Classification:
- Jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria, which includes corals, sea anemones, and hydroids. They are characterized by the presence of cnidocysts, specialized cells used for capturing prey1 3.
- The term “jellyfish” generally refers to members of the classes Scyphozoa (true jellyfish), Staurozoa (stalked jellyfish), Cubozoa (box jellyfish), and Hydrozoa within the phylum Cnidaria3.
- Phylum Mollusca:
- The phylum Mollusca is distinct from Cnidaria and includes a wide variety of species such as gastropods, bivalves, and cephalopods. Molluscs are known for their diverse biological and chemical properties, particularly in marine environments2.
Were jellyfish ever classified into phylum Mollusca?
Douglas Fenner has answered Unlikely
An expert from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Marine Biology
I’m not an historian of science, but I am an invertebrate zoologist. As far as I know, jellyfish have never been thought to be in Phylum Mollusca. I have never read or heard that they were. They are wildly different, even just to casual observation.