Portballintrae: Unusual jellyfish wash up on north coast beaches

Creatures closely related to the Portuguese man o’ war have been discovered washed up on beaches along Northern Ireland’s north coast.

These vibrant blue marine organisms, known as Velella velella or By-the-Wind Sailors, captivate onlookers with their sail-like structures that propel them across the ocean’s surface.

Typically found floating on the sea, these creatures have been driven ashore by recent strong winds and shifting currents.

Dr Jonathan Houghton, a marine biologist at Queen’s University Belfast, told BBC News NI they are “quite different from the usual jellyfish you might find stranded on beaches”.

“These small, oval-shaped organisms, about 5-8cm long, belong to a group called Hydrozoa,” he said.

“They possess a unique sail on top and drift with the wind”.