Rare Jellyfish Rediscovered After 50-Year Disappearance

In a remarkable discovery, a rare stalked jellyfish known as Depastrum cyathiforme has been rediscovered on the Scottish island of South Uist, nearly 50 years after it was last seen in France in 1976.

The distinctive, thistle-shaped jellyfish, which attaches itself to rocks like an anemone, was feared to be globally extinct. However, a holidaymaker exploring rock pools on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides recently found four of the creatures and took the first-ever photographs of the species.

Experts have now confirmed the rediscovery, and a follow-up search this summer successfully located another individual Depastrum cyathiforme, offering hope that a stable population of the elusive creature exists on the remote Scottish island. The stalked jellyfish was once regularly recorded in the 19th century by naturalists in southwestern British waters, but it vanished from British seashores by the mid-20th century.

The rediscovery of this rarely encountered species is a remarkable event, and scientists are now eager to widen the search and determine if Depastrum cyathiforme survives anywhere else. This finding serves as a reminder of the importance of local naturalists in contributing to our understanding of biodiversity, even for species once feared to be extinct.