Tourists visiting the beach of Byron Bay in Australia recently bore witness to a truly remarkable find—a type of intense purple jellyfish never before seen in the area. This extraordinary creature had a dense, lumpy section on top with a thinner, wavy tail.
However, he believes it could be a Crown Jellyfish, scientifically known as Cephea cephea. The Crown Jellyfish, a member of the Cepheidae family, is typically found in open ocean waters, making it a rare sight washed ashore.
This jellyfish species can grow up to 60 cm in diameter and has multiple bubbles at the top of its bell. It is considered a delicacy in China and Japan and is also known as the “cauliflower jellyfish” due to its corrugated surface. It captures microscopic prey with stinging cells that trail behind it as it swims.
These jellyfish are usually found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the Red Sea, the eastern Atlantic, and the Atlantic waters off western Africa.
“Animals that live in open water are not seen as often unless they are washed up on the beach due to high winds or ocean currents,” Uribe-Palomino explained.
The scientist encouraged anyone who comes across such a creature to contact experts and document their findings with photographs.
“Encouraging people to submit information could help researchers track the distribution of species and also find the sighting frequency and seasonality of those animals,” he said.
The peculiar and vibrant coloring of this jellyfish, transitioning from deep blue to bright purple, makes it a unique and amazing aquatic creature.
It’s truly wonderful that in certain parts of the world, you can be fortunate enough to witness such wonders of nature. We should consider ourselves lucky that these images are being shared with the world.
Share these incredible photos with all your friends; surely more than one of them will be curious about the species. Surprise them, and remind them of the importance of admiring, caring for, and preserving our planet.
