Rare 'pink meanie' jellyfish wash up on Gulf coast
Multiple rare 'pink meanie' jellyfish (Drymonema larsoni) have been observed washing up along the U.S. Gulf Coast, including more than 10 strandings reported on the Texas coast by Jace Tunnell of Texas A&M–Corpus Christi’s Harte Research Institute. The brightly colored predators — capable of 70-foot tentacles and weighing over 50 pounds — feed on abundant moon jellies and have been seen recently in parts of the Gulf, prompting local interest for beachgoers and marine scientists.
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Rare jellyfish that can have 70-foot tentacles wash up on Texas beach
New information:
- Expert observer: Jace Tunnell (Harte Research Institute) reported seeing more than 10 pink meanie jellyfish along the Texas Gulf coast.
- Biological details: Drymonema larsoni can grow tentacles up to about 70 feet and weigh more than 50 pounds; they prey on moon jellyfish and require warm water.
- Scientific context: Pink meanies were classified as a distinct species in 2011 and have been observed earlier in the Gulf, Mediterranean and near South Africa.