The name 'moon jelly' can refer to any of several jellies in the genus Aurelia.[Class Scyphozoa (true jellies), Family Ulmaridae (jellies)] Like all true jellies, the moon jelly’s tentacles are covered with specialized stinging cells, called cnidocytes. moon jelly uses these stinging cells to hunt small pelagic invertebrates and occasionally fishes and to capture other food particles with which it might come in contact. The cnidocytes are also the source of the sting that people feel when we come in contact with a moon jelly. Scientists believe that moon jellies and other jellies thrive in areas that are particularly affected by human activity. Overfishing, ocean warming, and pollution are all factors that reduce moon jellies’ predators and competitors and increase their prey. These results provide a more favorable environment for this species. As people continue to increase our ocean activities, the Moon Jelly may become one of the more successful species in the open ocean.