Small round jellyfish wash up on beach at Bodega Bay, California. Baby?

Interesting jellyfish found on the beach at Doran City Park near Bodega Bay on the California North Coast. Looks to be either baby jellyfish or small spherical jellyfish washing up on the shore as the tide reached its peak. There were several birds floating, resting nearby just off shore, what looked to be cormorants or some migratory ducks. The kids gathered a bucket full of about a dozen of the jellies that washed up on shore for closer inspection. Once finished we returned them to deeper water as the tide receded.

They were about an inch in diameter. When we put them into the bucket you can notice a pattern of dark longitudinal lines running symmetrically around the gelatinous body, looking somewhat like a basketball pattern or perhaps a clear beach ball. After several minutes in the water, the jellies grew long wispy tentacles. Holding them we didn't experience any sting. They moved slowly about in the bucket driven by small, feathery fans waving off of the fringe of the dark-colored lines running around the body.

I did some quick research online and would guess that these could be offspring or polyps of Medusa Jellyfish that are indigenous to the area which apparently grow to 40 cm. Any help identifying these would be appreciated.

Reference:
Intertidal invertebrates of California
http://books.google.com/books?id=NAybxQZvWI0C

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• jellyfish
• small
• round
• sphere
• spherical
• bodega bay
• doran beach
• clear
• baby
• beach
• beachball
• basketball

[MrDragonDavo]

that kid has the gift of life :o

[Clubpenguin4456]

comb jellies

[vampireangelforever]

reminder for next time you see a jellyfish: don't pick it up, yes the tentacles sting you, even the smallest ones do. the tentacles inject a venom that could make you sick, next time leave it alone.

-man you gotta love science

[damonandanita]

i live in Australia and we just saw the same things this morning at Holloways Beach, Queensland Did you find pout what they are called if they are a stinger jelly fish? hope you have some info!

[xXmusicxjuniexX]

my friends and i went to that same beach two days ago, and found at least 50 of them. they were all over the beach, couldnt walk 2 feet without finding them. we figured that they were babies, so maybe its like a seasonal thing?

[ACDCchickALI]

comb jellyfish, they arent real jellyfish, and they dont sting (: lucky boy

[x0xgumdropsx0x]

omg...when i was little i went to the beach. (it was South Padre Island, Texas in case your wondering) and i was playing with some jellyfish that washed up onto the beach. i picked one up with a pail and its tentacles came off and wrapped around my arms. Even though the jellyfish was dead, the tentacles still stung. And it hurt like hell :/

[rwedcrwedc]

did she say testical's?

[jrandtony]

Lol " Those are cooool " lmao :P

[fgfgd2]

holy shit i would not pick those up brave ass kid

[flubberflubby]

someone little idiot got lucky as hell