Seasonal First (2): Moon Jellyfish

There were a few jellyfish about of the Aurelia aurita species (also known as moon jelly, moon jellyfish, common jellyfish or saucer jelly). They were floating in the shallows. I believe they have a sting of sorts. You can read more about these Ulmaridae here.

The upper side, showing the four rings (the gonads)

The underside of a different one

Underside close-up

I'm intrigued to know whether this one had been bashed about in the waves ... or if there is another explanation.

Perhaps there is more than one jellyfish in the photo above. The Marine Conservation Society offers good advice on health and safety when it comes to jellyfish around the UK.

• My previous jellyfish sightings (this time around the island of Skye) 
• A survey (and I shall be logging these ones) to report any jellyfish seen off the UK, run by the Marine Conservation Society
• Juliet Wilson (aka Crafty Green Poet) considers Information Systems for Conservation ... Her post discusses the value of surveys like this jellyfish one.   

P.S. 20 May 2012: an update: 

'they all look like moon to me. The one pictured upside may not be, I can’t really properly see it’s characteristic rings, but it probably is a moon….'
Dr. Peter Richardson, Biodiversity Programme Manager, MCS