Mushroom Disk with Turquoise

Russ&Kimberly · 07-13-2009, 09:57 PM

What is this? There was a bunch of these washing up on the beach at Pelayo in Seagroove.

cooper · 07-13-2009, 10:48 PM

Its a type of jelly fish - i don't have my FL beach reference book with me, but as I recall, they can have either blue or (possibly) pink tentacles. We've seen them wash up in droves on the beach at Watersound in the past. Wish we were in SoWal with my book, so I could be more specific

NotDeadYet · 07-14-2009, 06:01 AM

Those are Blue Buttons. Pretty harmless.
Blue Button Jellyfish | Florida

jdarg · 07-14-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

Those are Blue Buttons. Pretty harmless.
Blue Button Jellyfish | Florida

And they are so pretty!

There were quite a few jellies at this past weekend- mostly the harmless kind (that look like silicone breast implants), but I did get slapped on the foot pretty good by a bad one. Couldn't even tell where I got stung by the next morning.

Here4Good · 07-14-2009, 07:52 AM

Yeah, I thought they were harmless, too - couldn't see the marks 1/2 hour after I got out of the water on Sunday, didn't feel anything.

Then, starting yesterday afternoon, welts started blooming EVERYWHERE. I have about six different places where I got stung, two are HUGE.

jdarg · 07-14-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Here4Good

Yeah, I thought they were harmless, too - couldn't see the marks 1/2 hour after I got out of the water on Sunday, didn't feel anything.

Then, starting yesterday afternoon, welts started blooming EVERYWHERE. I have about six different places where I got stung, two are HUGE.

Wow- really? Crazy! Hope you heal up soon!

Smiling JOe · 07-14-2009, 08:13 AM

FYI- Blue Buttons aren't true Jelly Fish. They are actually multiple organisms which appear to us to be only one.

EDIT: I just saw the link above and it tells you all about it in there.

exert: Blue Buttons are not true jellyfish, but are Chondrophores. These are actually colonies of polyps. In other words, they are like a tiny colony of animals. Each animal contributes something different to the colony. Some form the central disk, while others form the tentacles. Blue buttons exist in colonies, and mass beachings frequently occur since they are at the mercy of the wind and water currents. Blue buttons generally measure 1.5 inches across or less, and are generally dark blue or turquoise in color, although a lemon-yellow color variant sometimes occurs.

mommaDee · 07-14-2009, 09:48 AM

Thanks for the info-- we saw these on the beach and avoided contact with them. They look very pretty though. We nicked named them beach beer caps!

Here4Good · 07-14-2009, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdarg

Wow- really? Crazy! Hope you heal up soon!

Thanks, it was wicked crazy, I've never had jelly stings like these, I've only had the ones that itch like fire as soon as you get home from the beach and then slowly fade.

The jellies we could see in the water were really small - they were sort of oval, about 2-4 inches long, clear with what looked like a dark brown "spot" in the middle.