# Jellyfish Delicious (DD-422)

> Sea turtles, especially leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea), eat jellyfish. Leatherbacks have sharp, scissor-like jaws, and their mouths and throats are lined with backward-pointing spines called papillae that grip slippery prey and let them expel water without losing the meal. The footage shows a sea turtle eating a jellyfish.

- Department: Nature
- First published: 2024-12-13
- Last updated: 2024-12-13
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/jellyfish-delicious/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-422-F01**: Jellyfish. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Diet))_
- **DD-422-F02**: Scissor-like. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Jaws))_

## Write-up

Sea turtles can eat stinging jellyfish. Spines in their throats keep the meal from slipping out.

1. **Diet**: Jellyfish.
2. **Jaws**: Scissor-like.
3. **Papillae**: Backward-pointing spines.
4. **Grip**: Hold slippery prey.
5. **Species**: Leatherbacks especially.

## Related case files

- [Turtle Torpor (DD-683)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/turtle-torpor/): I linked more sea turtles

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Jellyfish Delicious: Sea Turtles Can Eat Stinging Jellyfish

- Duration: 20.6 s · Published: 2024-12-13
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DDhu2iZpP55.mp4

### Transcript

Turtles, particularly sea turtles like leatherbacks, can eat jellyfish thanks to specialized adaptations. They have tough, scissor-like jaws that allow them to bite through the jellyfish's soft gelatinous body without injury. Additionally, their mouths and throats are lined with backward pointing spines called papillae which help grip the slippery jellyfish and prevent it from escaping as [...] swallows. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Which turtle specializes in jellyfish?**  
A: Ocean. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Diet) · Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle)_

**Q: What lines their throats?**  
A: Spines. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Jaws) · Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle)_

**Q: Which way do they point?**  
A: Grip. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Papillae) · Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle)_

**Q: What are the jaws like?**  
A: Cut. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Grip) · Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle)_

**Q: Why spines?**  
A: Swallowing. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Species) · Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Leatherback sea turtle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherback_sea_turtle)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Jellyfish Delicious." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-422, last updated Dec 13, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/jellyfish-delicious/