Turritopsis Explained

Turritopsis is a genus of hydrozoans in the family Oceaniidae.

Species

According to the World Register of Marine Species, this genus includes the following species:

• Turritopsis chevalense – species inquirenda
• Turritopsis dohrnii also known as the "Benjamin Button jellyfish", or the "immortal jellyfish". It can reverse its life cycle and transform itself back to a polyp.^[1]
• Turritopsis fascicularis
• Turritopsis lata
• Turritopsis minor
• Turritopsis nutricula (several species, including the "immortal jellyfish", were formerly classified as T. nutricula)^[2]
• Turritopsis pacifica
• Turritopsis pleurostoma – species inquirenda
• Turritopsis polycirrha
• Turritopsis rubra

Notes and References

1. News: Nathaniel Rich . Nathaniel Rich (reporter) . Can a Jellyfish Unlock the Secret of Immortality? . For this reason Turritopsis dohrnii is often referred to as the Benjamin Button jellyfish. . The New York Times. 28 November 2012 . 2012-11-28 .
2. M. P. Miglietta . S. Piraino . S. Kubota . P. Schuchert . Species in the genus Turritopsis (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa): a molecular evaluation. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 45. 1. 2007. 11–19. 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2006.00379.x. free.