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Man spots rare 'pink meanie' jellyfish on Florida beach

Don't let the name fool you, this species isn't as mean as the name suggests.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Rare species of jellyfish "Pink Meanie" surrounded by small fish on clear waters of Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, USA

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — When you're out on the beach, the last thing you want to happen is to get stung by a jellyfish, right? 

A Naples man was going for a run on Vanderbilt Beach in Collier County, when he spotted something quite rare, a "pink meanie" jellyfish, according to WINK News.

WINK reported the jellyfish was about four-foot-wide.  

Now, don't be fooled by its name. The "pink meanie" actually isn't so mean. In fact, it's a bit nicer than other types of jellyfish.

According to Dr. James Douglass, a marine biologist at Florida Gulf Coast University, being stung by a “Pink Meanie” would hurt less than other jellyfish. 

“It will feel like mosquito bites,” Douglass said. “This particular species is known to get very big but it’s just rare and that’s partly because it’s a predator.”

Unlike other jellyfish that feed on plankton, he says the “Pink Meanie” eats its own kind. 

Pretty interesting right?

You can read more about it here.

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