Tag Archives: stalked jelly

Anemones and Jellyfish, Molluscs, Wildlife

Lazy Sunday rockpooling

2 Comments

This time of year when the roads are busy and the beaches packed, the summer can feel anything but relaxing. It’s Sunday today and we’re taking it easy, so what could be better than a stroll to a local cove that’s a bit off the beaten track for a spot of quiet rockpooling. Starfish, sea slugs, fish and stalked jellyfish await me. 

Going slowly and looking at the seaweed can reveal some beautiful encrustations of sea squirts and bryozoans
Going slowly and looking at the seaweed can reveal some beautiful encrustations of sea squirts and bryozoans

It’s always a good idea to move slowly in the rockpools and today I have nothing to rush for. By staring at the seaweed for a very long time, I begin to notice more details and my eye is drawn to a stalked jellyfish. The blobs between the arms are primary tentacles, suckers that the jelly can use to move around.

Stalked jelly Haliclystus ocroradiatus showing its primary tentacles (blobs between the arms)
Stalked jelly Haliclystus ocroradiatus showing its primary tentacles (blobs between the arms)

A little further on I find another species. This one doesn’t have the blobs between the arms and is flecked with pale spots, which contain stinging cells. Continue reading Lazy Sunday rockpooling →