Tourists discover 'extinct' jellyfish species in Scottish waters, UK

Depastrum cyathiforme, a flower-shaped jellyfish that disappeared for nearly 50 years, suddenly reappeared on the island of South Uist, Scotland, UK.

Depastrum cyathiforme, a jellyfish once known from ancient paintings, has now been recorded in the real world in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, England. (Photo: Guy Freeman)

For decades, the tiny, thistle-like stemmed jellyfish, Depastrum cyathiforme, lived only in 19th-century drawings and illustrations. Last recorded in 1976 in Roscoff, northern France, scientists believed the creature was completely extinct.

However, a surprising discovery during a recent summer holiday in South Uist, one of the remote islands in the Outer Hebrides (Scotland, UK) changed that perception.

While exploring the coastal rock pools, a tourist stumbled upon four small creatures clinging to the rocks, resembling sea anemones, and immediately took pictures. Remarkably, the photos match almost exactly with classical pen and watercolor drawings of Depastrum cyathiforme.

Discoverer Neil Roberts said he was initially “a little skeptical” when looking up information online, but the more he compared the images the more obvious the resemblance became. “I was really delighted when experts confirmed that the photo I took was of a long-forgotten jellyfish,” he added.

The discovery, published in the journal British Wildlife and later confirmed by a further field survey, has resulted in the identification of another Depastrum cyathiforme, raising hopes that the species, thought to be extinct, may still be around in its limited range around South Uist.

British Wildlife editor Guy Freeman, who was involved in a survey in South Uist this summer, confirmed the presence of at least one Depastrum cyathiforme in the area.

“When Neil first shared the images, it was like seeing a ghost,” says Freeman. “What we thought only existed in old sketchbooks was now brought to life before our eyes. It was magical.”

According to editor Freeman, the next step will be to expand the survey to determine whether Depastrum cyathiforme is still present in areas other than South Uist.

The area where Neil Roberts discovered the Depastrum cyathiforme jellyfish. (Source: British Wildlife)

In the 19th century, this jellyfish was recorded in the South West of England and was nicknamed “goblet lucernaria” by the famous marine biologist Philip Henry Gosse. The last recorded sighting in the UK was in 1954, in the Lundy area of ​​Devon, before completely disappearing from the scientific record.

Depastrum cyathiforme is a group of stemmed jellyfish, closely related to cnidarians, sea anemones and corals. They are usually less than 5cm tall and use suction cups to cling to rocks or seaweed. Globally, science has recorded only about 50 species of stemmed jellyfish, of which 10 live in the waters of Britain and Ireland.

Allen Collins, a leading expert on stemmed jellyfish at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, said the discovery was a major one. “I’m really happy to hear about it. Now we can be sure that this rare species still exists. Hopefully, more individuals will be discovered in the future,” he said.

Locally, Christine of the Outer Hebrides Biological Records Centre said: “We are always excited when a new species is recorded on the island. But it is not every day that we are able to confirm a species that was previously thought to be extinct. This is a great example of the role that local naturalists play in enriching our understanding of biodiversity in the Outer Hebrides and the UK as a whole.”

This surprising discovery is not only good news for scientists, but also emphasizes the importance of preserving natural ecosystems, where rare creatures can quietly exist and wait to be found again.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/du-khach-phat-hien-loai-sua-tuyet-chung-tai-vung-bien-scotland-anh-323200.html