Jelly Identification

[Scott T]

I took this picture on Saturday. There were two of these at about 50 ft. This was the larger one at about 1 1/2" in diameter. I have looked for two days and can not find an identification for it. Maybe someone here can help. I am also including a picture that I think may be a baby Moon Jelly. It is about 1 1/4" diameter.
I would appreciate any help. I'm pretty new to diving but used to be into Marine Biology a bit so I'm trying to identify all the subjects of my pictures.

Thanks in advance,

Scott T

 

[Papa_Bear]

I think the ones on the left look like Salps not a Jelly but a colony of individual animals?

Salp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Salps and Ctenophores

 

[Scott T]

Right you are. Cyclosalpa Affinis to be exact. Pretty cool stuff to read about. I just needed the right search words. Thanks for the information.

Scott T

 

[Ann Marie]

Hi Scott,

I believe that the item on the right is a type of alge. I see them most often on the wrecks down in San Diego, the Yukon and Ruby E.

 

[Thalassamania]

Here's what our very own Dr. Bill has to say concerning Cyclosalpa affinis.

 

[drbill]

Yep, the first is Cyclosalpa affinis... see my newspaper column on them.

The second is a deep water red alga, Maripelta rotata, (see column). I usually see it well below 130 ft here.

 

[Scott T]

Thanks everyone. And Dr. Bill, your timing couln't have been better. I was going to send you a note personally through a link on the Salp but realized that I don't have the pic on my work computer.
Thanks again for all the information.

Scott T

 

[Papa_Bear]

Here is another Salp a Venus Girdle I just Tried to Focus on at San Salvador:

More on the trips animals:Two Tanked Productions HD & SD Underwater Productions and video services

 

[Scott T]

That's pretty cool. I can't believe how much my interest has been rekindled by everyones help. I took a Marine Biology class back in college but was discouraged from that path by the lack of "Real Jobs" in that category. The good thing is that I now have a "Real Job" which pays well enough and gives me enough time off to explore the depths at my leisure as a hobby which is very enjoyable.

Thanks again everyone,

Scott T