Identification guide to commonly-seen jellyfish and jelly-like species with facts, images, and information about stings. She serves as the executive director of the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Dried jellies. While swimming or walking along the beach, you encounter a jelly-like animal. The lion’s mane jellyfish is the world’s largest jellyfish species.

Identification: Lion’s mane jellyfish have a pink, yellow, orange, or reddish brown bell, that gets darker as they age. Their tentacles are thin, and often found in a mass that looks like a lion’s mane. Where it is Found: Lion’s mane jellyfish are a cool water species—they are most often found in waters less than 68 degrees Fahrenheit. They are found in both the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. While they’re sting isn’t usually lethal, it can be painful.

The moon jelly or common jellyfish is a beautiful translucent species that has phosphorescent colors and graceful, slow movements. This species has a bell that grows up to 15 inches in diameter. They may be found in shallow, coastal waters and in the open ocean. A moon jelly can sting, but the sting is not as severe as some other species. It may cause a minor rash and skin irritation.

The purple jellyfish, also known as the mauve stinger, is a beautiful jellyfish with long tentacles and oral arms. Identification: The purple jellyfish is a small jellyfish whose bell grows to about 2 inches across. They have a purplish translucent bell that is dotted with red and long oral arms that trail behind them. Where it is Found: This species is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The Portuguese man-of-war is often found washed up on beaches. They are also known as man o’ war or blue bottles.

Portuguese man-of-war is a siphonophore in the class Hydrozoa. Identification: This species can be easily identified by its blue, purple, or pink gas-filled float and long tentacles, which may stretch more than 50 feet. Where it is Found: Portuguese man o’ wars are a warm-water species. They may be found in tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean and Sargasso Seas. Occasionally during stormy weather, they are washed into cooler areas.

Keep an eye out for their floats when swimming or walking along the beach in warm areas. The by-the-wind sailor, also known as the purple sail, little sail, Vellela vellela, and Jack sail-by-the wind, can be identified by the stiff triangular sail on the animal’s upper surface. Identification: By-the-wind sailors have a stiff, triangular sail, blue float made up of concentric circles composed of gas-filled tubes, and short tentacles. They may up to about 3 inches across. Where it is Found: By-the-wind sailors are found in subtropical waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea. They may wash ashore in large numbers.

By-the-wind sailors can inflict a mild sting. The venom is most painful when it comes into contact with sensitive body areas, such as the eye. Comb jellies, also known as ctenophores or sea gooseberries, may be seen in the water or near or on shore in large masses. There are over 100 species of comb jellies. Identification: These animals received the common name “comb jelly” from 8 rows of comb-like cilia. As these cilia move, they scatter light, which may produce a rainbow effect.