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Sea Nettle
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This jellyfish was seen swimming just off Pier 32 near the foot of Bryant Street. Its brown color
suggested it might be a Pacific Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens).
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Sea Nettles are known by their distinctive light-to-dark brown bells.
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Its 24 undulating maroon tentacles may trail behind as far as 12 to 15 feet (3.6 to 4.6m).
For humans, the sting of those tentacles is often irritating, but rarely dangerous.
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In the wild, the bell can grow to as big as three feet (one meter) across.
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The stinging tentacles paralyze prey and then
the oral arms in the center begin digestion as they transport the prey into the sea nettle's mouth.
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The Pacific Sea Nettle can swim by squeezing its bell and forcing water for movement, but most of
the time it prefers to float passively.
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The Pacific Sea Nettle with a reflection of a light created the illusion of
a crescent moon at night.
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Because they are relatively easy to raise in captivity, they have become popular for exhibits in
aquariums.
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