New Species of Giant Jellyfish Washes Ashore in Tasmania
Posted on February 6, 2014
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a new species of giant jellyfish was found washed up on a beach in Tasmania. The large 1.5-meter diameter specimen was found on a Tasmania beach by the Lim family. They photographed the large jelly blob and sent it to Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency.
Dr. Lisa-Ann Gershwin, a CSIRO scientist, has been in pursuit of the jellyfish for twenty years. She did not know the jellyfish could get this large. She was very excited about the large specimen that washed onshore. She says she said "Phwoar" when she first saw the photo. Gershwin says the species is a type of lion's mane jellyfish. She says they are also known as "snotties." She says thinks this particular jellyfish species is only found in the waters off Tasmania.
CNN has a photograph of the flattened jellyfish after it washed ashore.