National Geographic Resolution pulled into the bucolic fishing village of Uwajima on the island of Shikoku. A short bus ride led us to a family-owned pearl farm where master-mariculturists practice their time-honored art. The family’s patriarch skillfully opened an oyster to reveal a glimmering pearl inside. His luck held true as the next pair of oysters also boasted their oceanic gifts.
Peering over the side of the dock, another pair of gems revealed themselves. Summer in Japan is jellyfish season, and a horde of Medusa could be seen gracefully pulsating at the surface. The moon jelly is a nearly opaque disc with a ring of tiny tentacles. They capture minute prey by parachuting through the water column while funneling microscopic morsels into their mouths.
The golden jellies pose no competition to their neighboring Medusa. Instead of capturing prey, they harbor symbiotic algal cells which capture the rays of the sun and through photosynthesis convert this energy into simple sugars. The golden jellies then absorb the lion’s share of sugar to fuel their oceanic pursuits. Japan’s treasures reveal themselves in mysterious ways.
