Lion’s mane is the largest species of jellyfish, with a bell that can grow up to 7 feet

Lion’s mane is the largest species of jellyfish, with a bell that can grow up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) across and a thick mop of hair-like tentacles that reach nearly 120 feet (36.6 meters) long according to Oceana, a nonprofit ocean research and conservation organization.

These globular invertebrates spend most of their time offshore, floating around in the open ocean. But they’re common in waters around New Zealand during the summer, Diana Macpherson, a marine biologist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, told Auckland Now.

Similar to most other species of jellyfish, the lion’s mane uses its powerful stinging tentacles to stun and capture prey. The tentacles’ stinging cells, called nematocysts, eject poison when they contact small fish, crustaceans, or other jellyfish. Fortunately, the lion’s mane isn’t deadly to humans, although a sting from their tentacles is likely to be a bit painful.