Moon Jellyfish Colouring Page

Moon jellyfish, usually called moon jellies, belong to the genus Aurelia. Related species occur in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, often near the surface of bays, harbours, and open coastal water. Currents do much of their travelling, although each jelly can pulse its bell to adjust direction. Adults commonly have bells 5 to 40 centimetres wide, and some can reach about 60 centimetres. The free-swimming adult stage often lasts only several months, and a complete wild life is commonly around one year, though conditions and species make the number variable. A tiny attached polyp stage can survive longer and produce many young jellies. A moon jelly's rounded bell is made mostly of water and has no bones, heart, or brain. Four horseshoe or clover-shaped organs can often be seen through the translucent bell. Short fringe tentacles contain stinging cells that capture zooplankton, eggs, and tiny drifting animals. The sting is usually very mild for people. Frilly oral arms move food toward the central mouth. Moon jellies can shrink when food is scarce and grow again when conditions improve. They are also important meals for sea turtles, ocean sunfish, tuna, and other jelly-eating animals. The three jellies in this picture are separated clearly so children can compare their sizes and flowing shapes. Real moon jellies are nearly transparent, so begin with the palest blue, lavender, pink, or aqua. Leave plenty of white inside each bell to suggest light passing through it. Colour the four inner clover shapes pink, violet, peach, or red-purple. Use a slightly darker version of the bell colour on the short tentacles and wavy oral arms, keeping your strokes gentle and flowing downward. The water can shift from pale turquoise near the waves to deeper blue toward the bottom. Add green or teal to the seagrass and warm grey to the small stones. Keep bubbles mostly white with a light-blue rim. For a magical nighttime picture, make one jelly lavender, one turquoise, and one rosy pink, then add tiny pale highlights so they seem to glow.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

Download JPEGHigh-resolution A4 image Download PDFPrint-ready A4 file

Make it an activity

Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.