Girl encounters beady-eyed aquatic jelly creature, lives to tell the tale
August 8, 2011 3:58 PM
What is this tiny creature I found attached to my leg after swimming in the Chesapeake Bay?
I should have asked this a year ago when it first happened, but as I'm heading to the same beach in a few weeks, it popped into my head again.
After swimming in the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Pawtuxent River in early July 2010, I found the little creature linked to above attached to my leg. It was very sticky and it was a little difficult to get off of my skin. It was tiny - about the size of the loop at the end of a bobby pin, as you can see in the second picture. I also felt a little itchy where it was attached after I got it off, but that could have been psychosomatic because ohmygoodness look at how weird it is!
So, what is it? I looked at pictures of leech babies and various other aquatic creatures I could have imagined it being (A super tiny baby horseshoe crab? Some kind of tadpole?) but haven't found anything that looks remotely like it.
I should have asked this a year ago when it first happened, but as I'm heading to the same beach in a few weeks, it popped into my head again.
After swimming in the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Pawtuxent River in early July 2010, I found the little creature linked to above attached to my leg. It was very sticky and it was a little difficult to get off of my skin. It was tiny - about the size of the loop at the end of a bobby pin, as you can see in the second picture. I also felt a little itchy where it was attached after I got it off, but that could have been psychosomatic because ohmygoodness look at how weird it is!
So, what is it? I looked at pictures of leech babies and various other aquatic creatures I could have imagined it being (A super tiny baby horseshoe crab? Some kind of tadpole?) but haven't found anything that looks remotely like it.
To me it just looks like some kind of fish larvae. Its insides look like it has defined organs and a backbone, to me. I think there are some more ichthyologically minded folks around her who might be able to give a better answer.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:20 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by hydropsyche at 4:20 PM on August 8, 2011
Maybe a baby hillstream loach, or some other species of suckerbelly?
posted by Gator at 4:23 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by Gator at 4:23 PM on August 8, 2011
Seconding hillstream loach. If you google image it, you can see a resemblance.
posted by vivzan at 4:48 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by vivzan at 4:48 PM on August 8, 2011
Fish Louse aka Argulus. I had those in my aquarium once.
posted by JujuB at 4:51 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by JujuB at 4:51 PM on August 8, 2011
Thanks, JujuB. That's absolutely disgusting, and definitely the same thing.
At least it wasn't attached to my eye. I will be keeping my head above water this time around...
posted by SugarAndSass at 5:22 PM on August 8, 2011
At least it wasn't attached to my eye. I will be keeping my head above water this time around...
posted by SugarAndSass at 5:22 PM on August 8, 2011
I realize it doesn't help answer your question, but there is no way in hell I am ever going to click your "attached to my eye" link, and just knowing that link goes somewhere is freaking me the fuck out.
posted by davejay at 7:46 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by davejay at 7:46 PM on August 8, 2011
Absolutely disgusting? Nuh-uh. Small beer.
This right here is the stuff of fishy nightmares.
posted by flabdablet at 11:50 PM on August 8, 2011
This right here is the stuff of fishy nightmares.
posted by flabdablet at 11:50 PM on August 8, 2011
I realized right after I posted my comment that I should have specified that the link contains no image (and actually a lot of interesting information). Sorry about that.
posted by SugarAndSass at 2:09 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by SugarAndSass at 2:09 AM on August 9, 2011
Yup, that's something called sea louse (sea lice). My boyfriend got them after he went swimming in the ocean. He got a pretty gross rash from it.
posted by ATX Peanut at 10:41 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by ATX Peanut at 10:41 AM on August 9, 2011
Try wearing full-face goggles if you want to stick your head under? That should keep them off your eyes.
posted by Canageek at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by Canageek at 11:27 AM on August 9, 2011
« Older Well these are my options. What do you think? | What's your life like as a doctor or pharmacist? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
My first instinct was "leech!" .. but he's a bit transparent and if he were imitating a vampire I'd expect some inside parts of him to be red. I also don't think leeches have eyes.
He also looks like he has "fins" the way a manta ray might.
Did he move at all? Do you remember if he wiggled or squirmed?
posted by royalsong at 4:15 PM on August 8, 2011