Researchers discover wounded jellyfish can merge together to form a healthy individual

tokyo - A biologist named Kei Jokura conducted a study at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where he observed injured jellyfish merging together to form a single organism.

Ribbon jellyfish or comb jellies are among the oldest animals roaming our Earth. They have fascinated scientists for a long time and are sometimes referred to as 'the aliens of the sea' due to their unique evolutionary path.

A new study by biologist Kei Jokura, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, has added another layer of 'weirdness' to these creatures. During his research on how ribbon jellyfish use light to navigate, he discovered a jellyfish twice the size of others with two mouths. Further investigation revealed that two jellyfish had merged into one functioning organism.

Researchers conducted experiments to understand the fusion process by keeping injured jellyfish together in a tank overnight. In most cases, the next morning only one jellyfish remained, indicating successful merging. The process took only two hours, and the organisms began coordinating movements, suggesting merged nervous systems. When food was placed in one jellyfish's mouth, it reached the other's digestive system.

The reason behind jellyfish merging and the development of this ability remain unclear. Their fast healing ability is already known, and the researchers believe that proximity in a confined tank might have triggered fusion. This behavior suggests jellyfish lack defense mechanisms against foreign tissue, unlike humans who require medication to prevent organ rejection.