Jellyfish, Jelly Babies or Invisible Man Poo?

Marine biologist Sheree Marris solves the mystery of the jelly croissants that turn up on our beaches.

Did you know that these crescent-shaped clumps of gloop that you often find washed up on the beach aren’t jellyfish?

Ok smarty pants, what are they then? So glad you asked…

They’re babies, thousands of them and they belong to Moon Snails, predatory sea snails that slime around on the sandy plains on a big sticky foot.

The predatory moon snail preparing to lay its eggs.

Moon snails lay the eggs in a jelly-like matrix, which absorbs seawater and swells. Usually the egg mass breaks up in the water after a few days, releasing planktonic larvae.

More often than not, when washed up, these masses will be washed back out again at the next tide and the babies can go and live their best life.

Thousands of moon snail eggs encased in a jelly-like matrix.

Next time you see one, hold it up to the light and you’ll see all the tiny dots (eggs).

So during your next visit to the beach, if you feel like throwing them in the face of your friends, think… do you want to have to face a moon snail mum and tell her what you did to her babies punk?

(We at Deadrise are so glad that they weren’t Invisible Man poo—we stepped in a few!)