Jellyfish washed up in Australia a ‘whopper’
Print Edition
Scientists were yesterday working to classify a new species of giant jellyfish that washed up on an Australian beach, describing it as a “whopper” that took their breath away.
The 1.5-meter specimen was found by a family in the southern state of Tasmania, who contacted a local marine biologist.
Lisa Gershwin, a scientist with the government’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, said the type of jellyfish had been seen in the past, but never one so big and not one that became beached.
“We know about this specimen but it hasn’t been classified yet, it hasn’t been named,” she said, adding that there had been a massive jellyfish bloom in Tasmanian waters over the past month.
She said the new species was related to the lion’s mane jellyfish, the largest known species of the marine animal in the world.
“It is so big it took our breath away,” added Gershwin, who has been working with jellyfish for 20 years.
“It’s a whopper of an animal but it’s not life-threatening, although it does sting.”
CSIRO scientists now have enough pictures and samples to begin a proper analysis to classify and name the creature. Despite this, much remains unknown, including how it eats and breeds, and its habitat.
“It’s so big but we know nothing about it,” said Gershwin.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
