r/malta • u/rklement22 • 2d ago
Saw these weird floating things while snorkeling in Gozo (video)
Today I went snorkeling in the Inland Sea (Gozo) and it’s the first time I’ve seen “those floating things.” What are they? You can clearly see them in the video, but I have no idea what they are.
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u/russ_knightlife 2d ago
Plankton?
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u/P0werClean 2d ago
Yep, plankton salps. Harmless.
Fun fact, eating 100 of these is only 1 calorie.
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u/Voguish_hydra 2d ago
Plankton are mostly microscopic and its unlikely these are.
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u/russ_knightlife 2d ago
There are loads of types of visible plankton - ive scuba’s with animal plankton where you can see all the moving parts
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u/Icy-Finding-3905 2d ago
Pyrosoma atlanticum or maybe snail egg sacs. I’m probably wrong though but they look similar.
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u/Voguish_hydra 2d ago
Ran the picture through goggle lens and that's what came up.
The image appears to show a pyrosome, a type of colonial tunicate found in the open ocean. Appearance: Pyrosomes are pelagic tunicates that resemble translucent, tubular structures, often described as looking like a plastic tube or firm, pimply cucumber. Colonial Organism: They are composed of many smaller, individual animals called zooids that are embedded within a gelatinous matrix. Bioluminescence: Pyrosomes are known for their striking bioluminescence, earning them the name "fire bodies" from the Greek words "pyros" (fire) and "soma" (body). Feeding: They feed by filtering water through their zooids, extracting nutrients like phytoplankton, and expelling the filtered water, which can also provide propulsion. Ecological Role: While often overlooked due to their open-ocean habitat, pyrosomes can form dense blooms and play a significant role in marine food web dynamics and carbon
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u/LWDJM 2d ago
You’re pretty lucky, I went snorkelling and saw a huge turd whizzing about