Are these a type of JellyFish? Baby ones? They're Blue! :)

I had to share this with you all.

To me, this was a great *find* a great mystery, a great experience!

I went to the beach a few days ago and the ocean was a carpet of blue - like someone had spilled millions of blue flowers into the sea.

Running back to my flat for the camera (I was so sure I wouldn’t make it back in time) - but I was lucky *they* were still there!

So, what are these?

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3fe59a8d04ae.jpg[/atsimg]

A type of jellyfish?

I couldn’t find anything on an internet search that looked even similar.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/fc2462dacd5f.jpg[/atsimg]

I'm sorry to say all of them died within a very short time of reaching the shore.

I thought I'd sob my heart out to see them all dead.

Very Strange Stuff.

The lido (beach) owners said they'd never seen such a thing before.

(Lido Romantica in Giardini Naxos Sicily)

Thanks!

peace

Oh they are so cute!

My guess is they are some sort of juvenile anemones or something. My original thought was that maybe they were little bluebottle (man o war) jellyfish but they are the wrong shape and have too many tenticles.

Is anyone here a marine biologist??? (Seinfeld flashback)

It would appear they are ineed blue jellyfish

Look at the image in the upper left corner of the National Geographic cached link.

Same. Same. (?)

Unfortunately the full-size photo is no longer available, but the first paragraph of text states just that ... blue jellyfish.

... rather beautiful little critters, eh?

Is anyone here a marine biologist??? (Seinfeld flashback)

LOL

I'll tell ya, it's times like these I want to be a millionaire!

I'd of called every marine biologist on the list, helicopter a good one right to the beach and had as many of these little cuties *saved*...

To heck with Whales! Get these lil blue babies to a fishie-incubator!

That is - if they are babies!

Just too adorable.

I wish the picture of the *blue flowered beach* had come out (the beach *flowering* with these) but, sorry to say they didn't show.

reply to post by 12m8keall2c


Wow, my search engine must be on the blink!

That's exactly what I typed in, Blue Jellyfish!

Well, no matter!

Thank you!

peace
gracie

Wow those are pretty and tiny When I see them I think of "Finding Nemo" for some reason and his lack of being about to say anemone right...hehe Very cool find!

Very nice... You should have gotten a picture of the 'blue carpet'..

reply to post by Thain Esh Kelch

Very nice... You should have gotten a picture of the 'blue carpet'..

Yeah, I tried, but, it didn't come out...



A beautiful sight though...



I still can't find what *babies* these are though...
Jellyfish, for sure, but, they'll have to go through a heck of a change to get to look like adult blue jellies...

*Still looking*

Pretty! Looks like Blue Button Jellyfish (juveniles)

pic of an adult

reply to post by redhatty


That's them!
WOW!
Thank you!

Now I've just got to figure out why they all washed up on this beach here - to die! *sob sob*

Thanks so much!

They are *cute as buttons* too! lol

peace

Originally posted by silo13
reply to post by redhatty

 

That's them!
WOW!
Thank you!

Now I've just got to figure out why they all washed up on this beach here - to die! *sob sob*

Thanks so much!

They are *cute as buttons* too! lol

peace

Until you get stung... Not so cute then are they?

reply to post by silo13


Here you go, from the site listed above where the pic is.

Blue Button Facts

Blue Buttons are not true jellyfish, but are Chondrophores. These are actually colonies of polyps. In other words, they are like a tiny colony of animals. Each animal contributes something different to the colony. Some form the central disk, while others form the tentacles.
Blue buttons exist in colonies, and mass beachings frequently occur since they are at the mercy of the wind and water currents. Blue buttons generally measure 1.5 inches across or less, and are generally dark blue or turquoise in color, although a lemon-yellow color variant sometimes occurs.

cheers

Wait... what do you mean "to heck with whales?"


Aaaanyway, yes, they aren't "true" jellyfish. But they are cnidarians, which are the basic "jellyfish group." There are many colonial cnidarians, including the Man of War, which is typically identified as a "jellyfish," and is also a hydrozoan.

I just say cnidarian. But I'm cool like that.

Did you know all cnidarians are radially symmetrical individuals?

I've seen these before, they're some sort of jellyfish. Every summer my family stays on the beach in Destin, Florida and quite often it will rain. Within a day or two of the storm these things show up all over the shore.

Fun to come back to this thread.

I had to look up 'baby jellyfish' on a Google search and - yep - my pic was the first.

Still miss those lil buggers.

These are fascinating to look at. Cute and really beautiful!