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An unprecedented number of “pink meanie” jellyfish, a species that can grow up to 50 pounds with tentacles stretching as long as 70 feet, are washing ashore along the Texas coast.
From Port Aransas to Corpus Christi, the surge in sightings is unlike anything recorded before, according to Jace Tunnell, a marine scientist at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
“I’ve never seen this many pink meanies, and I’m on the beach continuously for my beachcombing surveys, for over eight years now,” Tunnell told Fox News Digital.
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“Plus, I grew up at the beach and had never seen one before this year,” he added.
The pink meanie is a relatively new discovery in Gulf waters. It was first noticed in the early 2000s and was mistaken for a lion’s mane jellyfish, according to marine life experts.
In 2011, DNA testing confirmed it was a different species and placed it in its own family — the first new jellyfish family in nearly a century.
“It got its name because of its pink color like cotton candy, and [the fact that] it aggressively eats other jellyfish, like the moon jelly, hence the ‘pink meanie,’” Tunnell said.
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The Gulf is currently experiencing a bloom of moon jellyfish, which are the pink meanie’s favorite food.
“We have a bloom of moon jellyfish going on right now, so I imagine that is why there are so many reports coming in about pink meanies, since that is their main food source,” Tunnell noted.
“Beachgoers should be cautious around the jellyfish because they do have a sting, which can be painful for about 10 minutes and leave red marks on your skin for a couple of days,” he cautioned.
The sting is not considered life-threatening, but it can be painful. If a person is stung, the U.S. Red Cross recommends getting out of the water, removing the tentacles with a gloved hand or tool, and rinsing with seawater.
The organization says to then immerse the area in hot (but not scalding) water for about 20 minutes to ease pain, or to use another safe heat source if available. Avoid rubbing the sting and monitor for signs of allergic reaction or shock.
Pouring vinegar over the wound may also be an appropriate form of treatment, Tunnell added.
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“Pour vinegar over the sting area, since that will neutralize the stinging cells that hold the venom, then run warm water over the wound,” he advised.
Once cooler weather pushes in, experts predict that both the moon jellies and pink meanies are likely to disappear from Texas beaches.
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