Alien Jelly Blobs Discovered in Vancouver Lake




Colony of Pectinatella magnifica
Lost Lagoon in Vancouver, BC, has been harbouring a strange life form. It looks like human brains are sitting in the shallow water but fortunately that isn’t the case. The warm water and abundant microscopic floaties in the lake have made perfect conditions for a variety of Bryozoan.

Bryozoans are tiny animals without backbones. Individuals are around half a millimetre(0.02 inches), but form colonies of thousands which can reach over two feet across. They may be anchored to the bottom or free floating.

The variety found in Lost Lagoon is not native to the area, but was originally found east of the Mississippi River. Over the past few decades the variety has spread across N. America and Europe.

The jelly blobs are not harmful to humans but they are pretty repulsive to us. The colony forms around a base of mucus and the surface of the colony is also covered in mucus. These little organisms actually clean the water by consuming microscopic bits of organic matter.


Still, I wouldn’t want to step on one.

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