Country diary: huge jellyfish shipwrecked on the sands

Morfa Harlech, GwyneddThey have drifted on ocean currents for 500m years, pulsing gently towards landfallThe wave smudges out something written in the sand with a stick. I imagine it as a spell cast to charm ashore those lost at sea. And so it does, as tides ebb and flow, stranding the barrel jellyfish. These extraordinary creatures, also known as dustbin-lid jellyfish because of their size and shape, have been shipwrecked after an epic voyage.Rhizostoma pulmoor R octopus is the largest jellyfish in British waters (they can grow to nearly 90cm in diameter) and is harvested around Wales for high-valuemedical-grade collagen. It feeds on plankton and its sting does not injure humans any more than do nettles; it is fed upon byleatherback turtles andsunfish.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Marine life Environment Wildlife UK news Rural affairs Birds Animals Medical research Science Source Type: news