Blubber Jellyfish - Half Moon Bay

Recently at Half Moon Bay on the Arabian Gulf coast, near Al Khobar, I saw a small number of Blubber Jellyfish (also known as Blue Blubber Jellyfish) Catostylus cf mosaicus. Half Moon Bay is a shallow and warm coastal area with the jellyfish having a translucent sub-hemispherical bell up to 35 centimetres across and eight conical arms without clubs or filamanets. They are quite common in the shallow coastal waters of Half Moon Bay, Dhahran and along the coast southwards to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) at certain times of the year, mainly the spring and summer. During the day the Blubber Jellyfish swims close to the water surface to obtain sunlight which it converts to energy. They come in various colours from translucent greyish white, like the ones at Half Moon Bay, to blue-green or even bright blue and reddish.

Blubber Jellyfish - Half Moon Bay

Whilst at Saudi Aramco Half Moon Bay beach recently we saw a few Blubber Jellyfish. Half Moon Bay is a shallow and warm coastal area near Dhahran in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia where the species is often found in swarms. Blubber Jellyfish have a translucent sub-hemispherical bell up to 35 centimetres across and eight conical arms and are quite common in the shallow coastal waters southwards to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates at certain times of the year, mainly the spring and summer. During the day the Blubber Jellyfish swims close to the water surface to obtain sunlight that it converts to energy. They come in various colours from translucent greyish white, like the ones at Half Moon Bay, to blue-green or even bright blue and reddish.

Blubber Jellyfish Washing Ashore

The last few days at Half Moon Bay (23 & 24/06/2011) there were hundreds of Blubber Jellyfish washing ashore on the beach. Hundreds were seen yesterday whilst sailing a dingy around the bay and today I spent a hour or so re-foating as many Blubber's as I could.

Blubber Jellyfish

02/06/2011 – Half Moon Bay

Yesterday was very dusty as the Shamal (north-westerly) wind was blowing and although I did go birding I did not see much and photography was not possible. As a result I am posting a photo of a Blubber Jellyfish (also known as Blue Blubber Jellyfish) Catostylus cf mosaicus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) at Half Moon Bay, Dhahran on the Arabian Gulf taken on 2^nd June 2011.

Half Moon Bay is a shallow and warm coastal area where there are currently plenty of Blubber Jellyfish present. This is a species, which are often found in swarms, have a translucent sub-hemispherical bell up to 35 centimetres across and eight conical arms without clubs or filamanets. They are quite common in the shallow coastal waters of Half Moon Bay, Dhahran and along the coast southwards to Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) at certain times of the year, mainly the spring and summer. During the day the Blubber Jellyfish swims close to the water surface to obtain sunlight which it converts to energy. They come in various colours from translucent greyish white, like the ones at Half Moon Bay, to blue-green or even bright blue and reddish.