I encountered this upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda: 10 cms.) at dusk, pulsating gently in the water column at about 5 metres - above a sandy area beside a coral reef in the Gulf of Aqaba near Taba, Egypt. The common name is derived from the fact that, when resting, its bell (or medusa) is next to the substrate; grains of sand were still adhering to the margins. The bell's delicate perfection reminds me of some of the best ancient Chinese porcelain bowls. The species was classified in the early 1760s by Peter Forsskal, a student of Linnaeus, after two constellations of cosmic beauty.
I agree with Peter Forsskal that this splendid jellyfish deserves fully the distinction of sharing its names with two constellations of cosmic beauty. In their turn, those constellations were named by Ptolemy, the Egyptian astronomer of Greek origin who lived in Alexandria in the second century AD. He was thinking of the wonderful beauty of the mythical Ethiopian queen Cassiopea and her equally lovely though unfortunate daughter Andromeda, who was sacrificed to a sea serpent.
Size: 4146px × 3238px
Location: Near Taba, Egypt
Photo credit: © Terence Dormer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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