Rare purple creatures washed up on Australian beaches

Strange creatures are likely jellyfish, large jellyfish species and have many stings but not dangerous to humans.

The purple creature washed ashore like a crown.(Photo: Sun).

Jodie Clowes posted on social media photos of purple creatures with arch-shaped bodies washed ashore on the beach in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, on December 15. While some praised the beauty of the strange creature, others feared it was dangerous.

The vibrant purple color also caused a lot of controversy . "This is the result of marine biodiversity. This beautiful creature has a red mother and a blue father," commented Cody Prasser. A woman said that this is the result of chemicals poured into the beach.

The creature could be a crown jellyfish, or cauliflower jellyfish (Cephea cephea) , according to Julian Uribe-Palomino, a plankton researcher at the Australian Industrial and Scientific Research Organization (CSIRO). However, the only way to be sure is to come check in person.

Jellyfish is a large, blue-green jellyfish with a diameter of about 50-60 cm. They have a shape reminiscent of a crown, below emitting 8 long "arms" and about 30 thin silk thread with stinger. However, they are not dangerous to humans. Crown jellyfish feed on plankton, algae, shrimp and invertebrates' eggs. These jellyfish rarely drift ashore.

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