Rare Massive Jellyfish Are Being Found On Emerald Coast Florida Beaches After Hurricane Ian

After Hurricane Ian, visitors to the Emerald Coast of Florida have seen some rare massive jellyfish called "pink meanies" on the shore, and they can be up to three feet wide!

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Facebook page, their scientific name is Drynonema larsoni.

They were first found in large numbers along the Gulf of Mexico back in 2000 and are pretty scarce to come by in the Gulf waters.

While they only prey on other jellyfish, they still can sting you. Their tentacles can reach as long as 70 feet.

A lot of people saw them in groups close to shore, while others caught them live in action underwater.

This Pensacola-based account on TikTok recorded one of the pink meanies in the ocean. You can typically find a lot of other sea life around them.

One Facebook user, Jessica Walt N Charley, from the Pensacola area, sent Narcity exclusive photos of the massive pink jellyfish she saw near the shore.

"I like to share these types of things with people because there's such a fear of these jellyfish but really they are home to so many other little critters," she wrote to Narcity via Facebook.

You can see all the "critters" swimming around the giant jelly and seeking shelter.

Fish around the jellyfish.Jessica Walt N Charley | Facebook

Many people in the area say they have seen tons of these creatures in the Emerald Coast area over the weekend and that it's so fascinating to see. You can recognize them if you see a large pink blob floating around the turquoise blues.

If you're heading to northwest Florida beaches, be on the lookout for these large specimens.