OP
Ishie
Guest
Thanks!
On taxonomy:
I've heard them called egg yolk jellies, plus I've been hearing multiple reports of egg yolk jellies throughout the Bay for the last two weeks. The Metridium Fields website has it listed like the one you described, which to me looks more like a fried egg (don't know if an egg yolk jelly is the same as a fried egg jelly). When these guys were moving through the water, they looked quite a bit like an egg yolk filtering through water.
I didn't get to experience the sting, but overheard that it felt a bit like being slapped, which I decided, responsibly of course, was worth the risk of getting some fun pictures. Considering my buddy actually had some of the tentacles trailing off his fins, I'm surprised neither of us got tagged, either in the water (where both of us were in kissing distance of them) or when de-suiting by stray tentacles.
I don't think the ones I saw were Lion's Mane jellies. Max bell size on these guys MIGHT have been 1.5', but rarely, with tentacles ranging from 6' to maximum 15', and they were schooling.
The Lion's Mane Jelly is described as having a max bell size closer to 6', is lobed (these weren't), and is a rarer visitor to CA, usually staying north of here. Some websites I've seen describe small Lion's Mane jellies as being confused with Egg yolk jellies, but state Lion's Mane jellies are distinctive due to their lobed bell, which these guys didn't have. I've heard of some people seeing the occasional one off Monastery or someplace where a wall drops off, but all I've been hearing about lately is these egg yolk jellies. In one report, a guy described getting an accidental kiss on the mouth, but with a tone of annoyance, not the sort of burning pain usually associated with the Lion's Mane jellies.
Thanks for the feedback!!
On taxonomy:
I've heard them called egg yolk jellies, plus I've been hearing multiple reports of egg yolk jellies throughout the Bay for the last two weeks. The Metridium Fields website has it listed like the one you described, which to me looks more like a fried egg (don't know if an egg yolk jelly is the same as a fried egg jelly). When these guys were moving through the water, they looked quite a bit like an egg yolk filtering through water.
I didn't get to experience the sting, but overheard that it felt a bit like being slapped, which I decided, responsibly of course, was worth the risk of getting some fun pictures. Considering my buddy actually had some of the tentacles trailing off his fins, I'm surprised neither of us got tagged, either in the water (where both of us were in kissing distance of them) or when de-suiting by stray tentacles.
I don't think the ones I saw were Lion's Mane jellies. Max bell size on these guys MIGHT have been 1.5', but rarely, with tentacles ranging from 6' to maximum 15', and they were schooling.
The Lion's Mane Jelly is described as having a max bell size closer to 6', is lobed (these weren't), and is a rarer visitor to CA, usually staying north of here. Some websites I've seen describe small Lion's Mane jellies as being confused with Egg yolk jellies, but state Lion's Mane jellies are distinctive due to their lobed bell, which these guys didn't have. I've heard of some people seeing the occasional one off Monastery or someplace where a wall drops off, but all I've been hearing about lately is these egg yolk jellies. In one report, a guy described getting an accidental kiss on the mouth, but with a tone of annoyance, not the sort of burning pain usually associated with the Lion's Mane jellies.
Thanks for the feedback!!
