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Dog finds rare jellyfish in Worthing

1:10pm Tuesday 3rd August 2010 in


When Bonnie the dog goes for walks along the seafront, there is usually a sting in the tail.

But the Mastiff-Staffordshire cross has proved it is not the case that once bitten, twice shy after developing a nose for hunting out rare jellyfish.

Last year, the four-year-old dog was stung by a Portuguese Man o' War she found lying on the beach.

Now the hound has discovered the first Rootmouth jellyfish to be washed up on a Sussex beach this year.

Last night experts said the species, which measured 10 inches in diameter, was an extremely rare find and proof the sea was getting warmer.

Signage contractor Tony East, 43, of Sea Lane, Goring by Sea, was out for a walk along Worthing beach with his two daughters Atlanta and Saffron when his dog made the discovery on Sunday morning.

Comments(4)

Spanners says...
2:26pm Tue 3 Aug 10

Good try Argus but not quite. Firstly, as said in the last jellyfish story a few weeks back - the Portugese Man O'war is not a jellyfish but rather a colony of four marine invertebrates. Secondly, the rootmouth is not an "extremely rare find". They swarm in Biscay and with the right currents and prevailing winds they end up here. It is not an everyday occurence I'll grant you but it is not that rare. Thirdly, who are the "experts" this story refers to? This is a small specimen as they have been known to be up to 4m in diameter Finally, it would be nice if the Argus were to mention that these pose little threat to people or dogs and will give only very mild stings at their worst. BTW I'm a diving instructor so I do know a thing or two about whats in our oceans

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lmspike says...
3:15pm Tue 3 Aug 10

I'm not an Ocean expert but I do know my way round google !!!!!

Despite its size, the Rootmouth Jellyfish - also known as the Dustbin-lid - is more or less harmless, with a 'very mild' sting.

The scientific name of the species is Rhizostoma octopus, because of its eight major tentacles. It is fairly common off Britain and often becomes stranded ashore by currents and winds.

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John Steed says...
6:30pm Tue 3 Aug 10

Jellies are very common off our coasts, since the early 70's when I took up diving, I have observed many both in shore and offshore.
The largest I have seen was passing under the palace pier on an ebb tide in the late 80's it was approx 1 metre across the cap
in 1962 on trip to norway the north sea and the port of kristianstad were absolutly jam packed with millions of small jellies, they do seem to be more prevelent in hot summers

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John Steed says...
6:34pm Tue 3 Aug 10

I would also add that whilst fishing off the west harbour arm at newhaven in the mid 70's i believe about 1975 I along with a number of other anglers observed a pair of basking shark swimming towards the beach all along the arm, it was a hot summer, but I have never seen any baskers this far up the channel since Global warming My A**e acoring to my old history teacher its been going on since the last ice age 300,000 years ago

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