Enormous Jellyfish with Tentacles as Long as 70 Feet Appear on Texas Shores

Giant, unusually large jellyfish have recently been found along Texas beaches, catching some beach visitors off guard as they devour smaller jellyfish.

According to Jace Tunnell, head of community involvement at Harte Research Institute with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, over ten specimens of the 'pink meanie' jellyfish have been spotted along the Gulf Coast. Observers have reported sightings of these jellyfish in the past few days.

These pink meanies boast tentacles that can reach lengths of 70 feet and weigh beyond 50 pounds, as Tunnell mentioned. Named for their striking hue, these jellyfish resemble 'floating cotton candy' in the ocean. However, once they wash ashore, their vivid coloration fades, making them less noticeable to those strolling the beach.

While they do possess a sting, Tunnell describes it as relatively 'weak' or mild in sensation.

These pink meanies feed mainly on moon jellyfish, a ubiquitous and smaller variety. It’s common to observe thousands of moon jellies, according to Tunnell. The pink meanies are closely associated with moon jellyfish populations as, without them, the pink meanies start to 'quickly perish.'

Identified as a distinct species only in 2011, pink meanies were originally noted in the Gulf as far back as 2001. Initially mistaken for a known Mediterranean jellyfish species, genetic studies eventually revealed they belonged to an entirely unique family, as explained by National Geographic.

Besides their reliance on moon jellyfish, pink meanies thrive in warm waters, said Tunnell. Frigid temperatures can be fatal. These jellyfish are found not only in the Gulf but also in the Mediterranean Sea and around the shores of South Africa.