south florida + jellyfish

Does anyone on this NG have any idea as to what time of year the jellyfish
appear around the palm beach area. I was there in August a couple of years
ago and the water was unswimable. Is it like that every year or was that
just a fluke (no pun intended)

In article <11a93ss8jsbi36b@corp.supernews.com>,
"stonecreek" <m4acpd@ets.com> wrote:

> Does anyone on this NG have any idea as to what time of year the jellyfish
> appear around the palm beach area. I was there in August a couple of years
> ago and the water was unswimable. Is it like that every year or was that
> just a fluke (no pun intended)
>
>

Anytime when the wind has been blowing out of the south east for several
days.

stonecreek wrote:

>
> Does anyone on this NG have any idea as to what time of year the jellyfish
> appear around the palm beach area. I was there in August a couple of years
> ago and the water was unswimable. Is it like that every year or was that
> just a fluke (no pun intended)
>
>
>
There are about 60 species of jellyfish locally, and different
species are more common at different times of year.

What kind are you looking for?

"stonecreek" <m4acpd@ets.com> wrote in message
news:11abeb9daleaqaf@corp.supernews.com...
> Mike:
>
> Whatever kind that you don't want to get on you, unless that's all kinds.
> I
> think when I was there the locals called them "man o' wars", but that may
> be
> a generic term for jellyfish. All I know is that there were so many
> close
> to shore that you couldn't swim or snorkel.

Portuguese man-of-wars aren't jellyfish. Make up your mind.

Mike:

Whatever kind that you don't want to get on you, unless that's all kinds. I
think when I was there the locals called them "man o' wars", but that may be
a generic term for jellyfish. All I know is that there were so many close
to shore that you couldn't swim or snorkel.

"mike gray" <omgray@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:d06pe.905590$w62.47741@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> stonecreek wrote:
>
> >
> > Does anyone on this NG have any idea as to what time of year the
jellyfish
> > appear around the palm beach area. I was there in August a couple of
years
> > ago and the water was unswimable. Is it like that every year or was
that
> > just a fluke (no pun intended)
> >
> >
> >
> There are about 60 species of jellyfish locally, and different
> species are more common at different times of year.
>
> What kind are you looking for?
>

"Greg Mossman" wrote

> Portuguese man-of-wars aren't jellyfish. Make up your mind.

There not? What are they?

Lee

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
newsqlpe.652$pa3.336@newsread2.news.atl.earthlin k.net...
> "Greg Mossman" wrote
>
>> Portuguese man-of-wars aren't jellyfish. Make up your mind.
>
> There not? What are they?

Siphonophores. Hydrozoans. Siphonophores, including Physalia physalis, are
basically free-floating hydroid colonies. The Man-of-War is made up of four
distinct types of hydroid polyps: the pneumatophore (the float) and
dactylozoid, gonozooid, and gastrozooid polyps. It's not one Man, it's a
friggin army working in concert.

True jellies (as well as box jellies) are Scyphozoans. They are single
animals, not colonies. An Army of One.

"Greg Mossman" wrote

>>> Portuguese man-of-wars aren't jellyfish. Make up your mind.
>>
>> There not? What are they?
>
> Siphonophores. Hydrozoans. Siphonophores, including Physalia physalis,
> are basically free-floating hydroid colonies. The Man-of-War is made up
> of four distinct types of hydroid polyps: the pneumatophore (the float)
> and dactylozoid, gonozooid, and gastrozooid polyps. It's not one Man,
> it's a friggin army working in concert.
>
> True jellies (as well as box jellies) are Scyphozoans. They are single
> animals, not colonies. An Army of One.

I knew Man O Wars were a collection of critters. What I didn't know is that
there is a specific definition of jellyfish. Until now, I just lumped
everything together under the single term.

Lee

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:26npe.704$pa3.260@newsread2.news.atl.earthlin k.net...

> I knew Man O Wars were a collection of critters. What I didn't know is
> that there is a specific definition of jellyfish. Until now, I just
> lumped everything together under the single term.

Then I certainly can't call you a racist when it comes to jellyfish.

All are cnidarians, true. But calling a Man-O-War a jellyfish is as wrong
as calling a gorgonian, or an anemone, or fire coral a jellyfish.

Greg Mossman wrote:
>
> "Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.remove.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:26npe.704$pa3.260@newsread2.news.atl.earthlin k.net...
>
>
>>I knew Man O Wars were a collection of critters. What I didn't know is
>>that there is a specific definition of jellyfish. Until now, I just
>>lumped everything together under the single term.
>
>
> Then I certainly can't call you a racist when it comes to jellyfish.
>
> All are cnidarians, true. But calling a Man-O-War a jellyfish is as wrong
> as calling a gorgonian, or an anemone, or fire coral a jellyfish.
>
>
>
Not really. "jellyfish" is just a common catch-all for many
species from several different classes. If ya stick to
scientific nomenclature, confusion is reduced (but not
eliminated). When ya argue that palms are not trees, or spiders
are not bugs, ya get into trouble. Even the Florida Horse Conch
is not a conch, and the poor bastard gets stuck into a different
genus every few years.

You are correct that Physalia physalis (which we call the
man-o-war jelly) is not a "true jelly" which is a goofy name for
solo medusae.

They are far more common in the summer and, because the float
(which we call a sail) moves them with wind as well as current,
they are most frequently seen when the wind is out of the east.

They provide great amusement, as tourists love to prod them with
their toes on the beach.

All cnidaria, btw, have nematocysts. Some, like most coral or
moon jellies, are ineffective versus humans. Others, like
stinging hydroids or man-o-wars, are very effective.

m