Sea gooseberry

Last week, I spent some time in Connecticut, in the Mystic area. Naturally, we spent some time at the seashore. My little one was fascinated by these clear blobs washed up on the beach. I didn't know much about them, only that they hadn't stung me when I was a child, and so I let him pick them up. This is a close-up of one.

My research (thank heaven for the Internet!) tells me that this is a sea gooseberry, scientific name Pleurobrachia pileus - one of a very large group of comb jellies. As far as botanists are concerned, these creatures are not jellyfish. Great. Now I have to undo 40+ years of misinformation!

We tried to bring some home in a jar, but they disintegrated overnight, so I didn't get many photographs of them. It was very difficult to focus in the bright sunlight, but the adventure of picking them up and putting them in tide pools was well worth our time. Especially when Mommy got that look on her face... Boys can be so gross sometimes!