- Over a dozen pink meanie jellyfish washed up on a 10-mile Texas beach recently
- Pink meanie, Drymonema larsoni, was identified as a new species in 2011
- Their tentacles can reach 70 feet and they weigh over 50 pounds
Over a dozen rare and huge jellyfish, nicknamed "pink meanie", were washed up on a 10-mile stretch of Texas beach lately, according to Harte Research Institute. These massive cotton candy-colored creatures have left beachgoers stunned and a bit spooked.
Watch the video here:
All About 'Pink Meanie'
The pink meanie was identified as a new species in 2011 by scientist Keith Bayha, who named it Drymonema larsoni after colleague Ron Larson. These pink meanies boast impressive tentacles that can grow up to 70 feet and can weigh over 50 pounds. They've been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico, particularly along the Gulf Coast. They move off Texas' Gulf Coast in the late summer and early fall so that they can prey on moon jellyfish, commonly found in the region.
They thrive when moon jellyfish populations are high and tend to disappear when temperatures drop. Bayha, now at the Smithsonian Institute, experienced a minor sting during research, describing it as causing a rash but not unbearable.
Their Hunt Is Scary
When these pink meanies are very small, they survive on zooplankton, just like other jellyfish. However, when they grow old, they develop a jellyfish-only diet. These carnivorous jellyfish prey exclusively on other jellyfish, especially moon jellyfish. They've been known to devour up to 34 at a time.
They attack the moon jellies when they follow the current, eating the plankton. Chron reported that the "oral arms" of these 'pink meanies' secrete digestive juices to break the prey down.
While speaking to Chron, Jace Tunnell, who is the director of community engagement at Harte Research Institute, said he spotted more than 10 of the jellyfish this week alone.
In a Facebook post by the Harte Research Institute, Tunnell said he also spotted one in a Port Aransas marina wrapped around a moon jellyfish, which is the favourite food of pink meanie.
While their sting is mild to humans, it can be painful. Tunnell was also stung while filming; however, the post revealed that it was only a mild sting.
Tunnell told Chorn that pink meanies are sensitive to environmental changes. "If there's no moon jellies, they die off real quick. If the water gets cold, they die off real quick. So to be able to see them is pretty rare," Tunnell told the outlet
