Upside-down Jellyfish
Cassiopea
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A jellyfish that lies bell-down on the bottom, frilly arms up, looking like a pale green flower.
- Typical size
- Up to 10 in
- How often it turns up
- Common in its habitat
- Collecting
- Check local rules
- Handling
- May irritate skin
This is a living animal. Photograph it and leave it where you found it, or ease it back into the water.
Mild sting, and it releases stinging mucus into water around it. Avoid touching.
How to tell it apart
- Rests upside down on sandy or muddy bottoms
- Frilly, branched greenish-brown oral arms facing up
- Pulses its bell slowly
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for tidepool life. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Bathtub Reef Beach · Stuart
- Anne's Beach · Islamorada
- Bahia Honda State Park · Big Pine Key
- Bathtub Beach · Stuart
- Caspersen Beach · Venice
- Curry Hammock State Park · Marathon
- Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park · Key West
- Harry Harris Park · Tavernier
- Higgs Beach · Key West
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park · Key Largo
- Long Key State Park · Long Key
- Marineland Beach · Marineland
Found one?
Photograph it and BeachNut ranks the likely matches with a confidence read, then logs it to your collection with the beach and date.
Browsing beaches and the full field guide is free. A free account logs unlimited finds and gives you three photo identifications a day.
More tidepool life in the field guide
Get Florida beachcombing tips
Occasional emails: what's washing up, shelling tips and new BeachNut features. No spam, unsubscribe any time.