The beaches of Southern California have new visitors- Mysterious jellyfish-like blue organisms. The creatures, which have been identified as Velella velella, are commonly known as “By-the-Wind Sailors " due to their unique method of transportation. Marine biologists have advised visitors to observe the creatures from a distance rather than touch them. Officials of Point Reyes National Seashores, a unit of the National Park Service, US, shared a photo of the unique creatures sprawled on the beach. “Velella velella are flat, oval-shaped hydroid polyps (cousins of the jellyfish) that live in the open ocean but are often seen washed up on beaches in Point Reyes National Seashore, in the spring and early summer months when strong winds push them ashore," the officials wrote on Facebook.
They further wrote the creatures have a triangular sail on their body, which makes them liable to be caught up by the wind, earning them the name “By-the-Wind Sailors." The officials reassured the public that the blue tentacles hanging from their bodies are harmless to humans and instead serve to collect zooplankton and fish eggs as their food source.
Social media users flocked to the comment section to share their experiences about it. One user remarked, “I love when these wash up. They sort of look like transparent slices of a tree ring after they dry up.” Some accounts shared stories of how they had encountered these organisms earlier. “I’ve seen these at Ocean Beach in SF for years. Just not such huge clumps of them. We kids just thought they were some kind of weird jellyfish,” a comment read. “My grandparents used to call them purple sailors,” another individual wrote.
According to the Wildlife Trusts, the By-the-Wind Sailors are a unique and attractive species and are similar to the Portuguese Man O’War. They are \different from actual jellyfish. The sail on their body enables the creatures to catch the wind and move with ocean currents. The By-the-Wind Sailor uses its stinging tentacles to hunt young fish and other small animals as it travels. Due to being at the mercy of winds, the animals often wash up on shore in large numbers, reaching hundreds or even thousands after stormy winter weather.
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