The barrel jellyfish - gentle giant of the oceans

The mesmerising Rhizostomae with sensuous curves is Britain's largest jelly, as big as a bin lid - only prettierInvertebrate of the year 2024: all hail Earth's spineless heroesNominate your UK invertebrate species of the yearDo you pay with crypto, dig the blockchain and drive a Tesla? You're an early adopter, a future-chaser, right? So, naturally, you'll vote jelly.These animals are taking over the ocean. They are the great survivors of evolution - and of the Anthropocene. They are thriving in an era of warming oceans and algal blooms, and when humans have wiped out larger marine predators. Jellyfish can survive when human pollution reduces oxygen levels in the ocean. And so we will embrace their future, our grandchildren tucking into jellyfish and chips.Welcome to the Guardian's UK invertebrate of the year competition. Every day between 2 April and 12 April we'll be profiling one of the incredible invertebrates that live in and around the UK. Let us know which invertebrates you think we should be including here. And at midnight on Friday 12 April, voting will open to decide which is our favourite invertebrate - for now - with the winner to be announced on Monday 15 April. Continue reading...