The National Parks Service (NPS) has sent out a warning after an invasive blob was spotted on a beach in Texas.
The gelatinous specimen was found on North Beach along the Gulf of Mexico coastline and reported by the Padre Island National Seashore in a Facebook post on Friday.
"This Australian spotted jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata), [...] also known as the brown jellyfish or white-spotted jellyfish, is native to the western Pacific Ocean," the parks service said. "These jellies are invasive in the Gulf of Mexico and in great numbers can consume large quantities of zooplankton, making it hard for local marine wildlife to find food."
Australian spotted jellyfish are a large species that can grow up to 28 meters in diameter, according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute. The species was first reported in California in 1981 and later discovered in the Gulf of Mexico in 2000. According to the U.S. National Invasive Species Information Center, the species most likely hopped over from the Pacific via the Panama Canal on the hulls of ships.
Unlike some jellyfish species, the Australian spotted jellyfish possesses a very mild venom that causes no significant threat to humans.
"Their venom is so weak they can't use it to stun prey," the NPS said. "Instead, they are filter feeders and eat tiny microorganisms called zooplankton."
Unfortunately, this penchant for plankton poses a threat to local ecosystems. The Texas Invasive Species Institute has estimated that each jellyfish can clear 50 cubic meters of plankton-filled water in a single day, making this species a formidable feeder. To make things worse, Australian spotted jellyfish will often travel in huge swarms, devouring enormous volumes of plankton and out-competing the native species that feed on them.
The U.S. National Invasive Species Information Center also lists the Australian spotted jellyfish as a potential threat to the shrimp industry because of it clogging nets and damaging fishing equipment.
Dozens of users have commented on the Padre Island National Seashore's Facebook page to share their experiences with these creatures.
"I have seen two in the past two months between MM 238 and 250. Was wondering what they were!!" said one user.
"I slipped on one today," said another.
According to the NPS, if you do encounter an Australian spotted jellyfish on a beach, the best thing to do is to leave it where you found it.
"When jellyfish wash up on the beach, they tend to dry out and die rather quickly," it says. "They will get eaten by seagulls, crabs and other scavengers, and whatever is left of it will eventually decompose into the sand."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more
