Missdirected
Contributor
We have them down in Venice also.
Pink Meanies or nettles (another nasty one)?
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We have them down in Venice also.
Here are some shots III took today off Clearwater
This is a Pink Meanie:
Those that ScubaAnn posted I believe are Sea Nettles. They max at 3 1/2 feet. Per Humann: White to whitish translucent with numerous small warts on dome and four ruffled oral arms; 24, and occasionally 40, long tentacles attach to the dome's scalloped margin (Ann's pics seem to show a scalloped dome). Dome occasionally marked with 16 radiating bands of color. Mildly toxic - causes skin irritation but in some causes a severe reaction.
It could also be a Warty JellyFish that maxes at 4". If so, per Humann: Surface of dome has nematocyst-bearing warts. Eight highly contractile marginal tentacles and four long, frilly oral arms. Translucent, often pinkish with pink warts and tentacles, occasinally purple, yellow and brown. Luminescent at night. Effect on divers: Toxic; contact with bare skin can produce an intense sting. May cause redness and welts.
Me thinks I am going to start bringing my epi-pen when I go diving. Along with the Benadryl already in my save-a-dive kit. Face planting into one of those nettles last year was no fun