Morro Bay Wildlife Spotlight: Pyrosoma atlanticum
When you visit a beach on California’s Central Coast, you can expect to find certain kinds of organic debris washed ashore. Long, ropy, stalks of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) amass in muted green piles at the high tide line. Knotted lengths of driftwood, smoothed by the rough waves, stud the sand. Bone-white sand dollars adorn wavy lines of seafoam, looking like treasure to beach-going kids. You’ll find the occasional moon jelly of by-the-wind sailor, which are stranding more often this summer due to the prevailing winds and ocean currents. And, on rare occasion, you’ll happen upon something you’ve never seen before. …
