Florida Jellyfish Species

This species of box jellyfish are named chiropsalmus quadrumanus that has been previously collected by florida fish and wildlife staff offshore of brevard county florida.

Florida jellyfish species. The by the wind sailor velella velella is another jellyfish found on florida beaches that is not a true jellyfish but a colonial species like the portuguese man o war. There are also other types of stinging jellyfish. Cocoa beach florida a venomous and potentially deadly species of jellyfish are in the water and washing up onshore in cocoa beach florida on sunday august 30 2020. He may jiggle like jelly but this guy is mostly water.

The most recent threat for beachgoers is a species of marine life that not many think of outside of nature shows and exotic locations. In fact the by the wind sailor operates in exactly the same way the man o war does using currents tides and wind to traverse the open sea with tentacles trailing. He lives with fish but the jellyfish isn t a fish at all. Florida and by extension floridians are no strangers to threats in their coastal waters.

Jellyfish are 95 percent water and most are harmless but some can cause mild rashes to extreme allergic reactions. Box jellyfish are found in the tropics including hawaii saipan guam puerto rico the caribbean and florida and recently in a rare event in coastal new jersey. Jellyfish jellies or sea jellies are free swimming members of the phylum cnidaria and all have a basic body structure resembling that of an umbrella. Florida has several different species of jellyfish.

Sometimes called sea wasps box jellyfish are highly dangerous and more than 8 species have caused deaths. This animal has no blood brain spine heart or gills but he has stinging cells on his tentacles and other body parts. Although the florida species of box jellyfish does not pack the extreme potency of the infamous australian box jellyfish dubbed the sea wasp the species that washes up on florida s beaches can still be life threatening and has a painful sting. The most common species in florida are man o war box jellyfish mauve.

Jelly fish are not true fish either american public aquariums have popularized the term jellies or sea jellies instead.