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Spotted Jellyfish Sighted in Mobile Bay July
16, 2002 |
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| Media
Contact: Lisa Young 251/861-7509 Members of DockWatch, the jellyfish monitoring program of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, have sighted the Australian spotted jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata in Mobile Bay and Ocean Springs, MS. First recognized in the Gulf of Mexico in 2000, these invasive jellyfish were most recently sighted in Indian River, Florida and Terrabonne Bay, Louisiana within the last few weeks. This is the first time there has been a confirmed sighting of them in Mobile waters this year. Additionally, this is the first time ever that they have been sighted at such a young stage in their developmental cycle. The jellies sighted in this most recent incident are about the size of a softball; those sighted in 2000 were significantly larger. The fact that they have been sighted here at such a young stage could hold implications for their productivity in local waters. Members of the general public are urged to keep a lookout for these spotted jellyfish and to report sightings to the DockWatch hotline at 861-7547. Media contact: Dr. Monty Graham 861-7555. |
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