Thetys vagina

Description and Comments

Kayaking around Monterey Harbor on July 4 2013 I noticed large dead solitary salps trapped in the kelp debris. Every detritus patch had 1 or more of these animals and what may have been the remnants of the smaller aggregate stage. Most of the >40 solitaries I saw were at least 5 inches long and fairly well degraded so the muscle bands were not intact. The large size and amazing toughness of these animals points to their being Thetys. The solitaries appeared to have been spent. What I believe to have been the dead aggregate form were up to ~2.5 inches long, thick with a "prickly" surface, one large open end and a mid body depression on one side.

Author

Jellywatcher (not verified)

Type of organism

Jellyfish

Quantity

11

Latitude

36.61

Longitude

-121.89