Texas beaches have been invaded by a rare sea creature with giant tentacles that’s looking to wipe out local jellyfish along the Gulf Coast.

The culprit is called the ‘pink meanie’ and it’s actually another species of jellyfish that wasn’t declared a new species until 2011.

In a video from the Harte Research Institute in Texas, Jace Tunnell, the Director of Community Engagement, disclosed that the Texas coast is currently experiencing an influx of pink meanies, as they hunt for moon jellyfish to consume.

These pink meanies, scientifically known as Drymonema larsoni, can reach weights of up to 50 pounds and possess tentacles that extend as long as 70 feet.

Although spotted in the Gulf around 25 years ago, Tunnell mentioned that sightings of these jellyfish on Texas beaches remain uncommon. He noted that he had been searching for this species for almost a year.

With their favorite food swimming into the warm waters of the Gulf this summer, sightings have spiked, with Tunnell noting he’s discovered over 10 of these giant jellies in a just a 10-miles stretch of US beaches.

Others on social media added they’ve seen even more giant pink meanies in the ocean, including one man on Facebook claiming to see 30 to 40 a few hundred miles south of Galveston this month.

‘When the moon jellies are there, these are eating on them and then once the moon jellies are gone, you’re not going to find them anymore’ Tunnell explained.

Pink meanies, also known as Drymonema larsoni, have been washing up on Texas beaches this month

Jace Tunnell of the Harte Research Institute in Texas (pictured) revealed that sightings of these jellyfish can be fairly rare

Catching these giant creatures in the wild can be an extremely hard task.

The marine expert from Corpus Christi explained that pink meanies die off quickly if their supply of moon jellyfish dwindles.

If the water gets too cold, that will also kill off pink meanies before they reach their full size in the wild.

Right now, the jellyfish predators are thriving in the warm ocean temperatures of late summer and early fall, especially in the Gulf, the Mediterranean, and along the coast of South Africa.

‘I saw one of these for the 1st time while snorkeling this weekend!’ another person on Facebook commented next to a picture of the giant pink jellyfish.

Underwater, these creatures can look like a huge pink cloud, with a long flowing mass of tentacles that extends for several yards.

When they wash up on shore, both large and small pink meanies look like a ball of jelly with a deep pink color making them easy to spot.

However, Tunnell warned viewers that this type of jellyfish is not edible and added that they do sting when touched.

Pink meanies can grow to weigh 50 pounds and have tentacles that reach 70 feet in length

This species of jellyfish only eat moon jellyfish. If moon jellyfish aren’t around, pink meanies tend to die quickly

As the wildlife expert held a baby jellyfish in his hand, he admitted that his fingers were beginning to tingle, noting that the pain of the pink meanie’s sting was about a ‘two out of 10.’

Despite Tunnell’s comments about the pain, others revealed that the stings of the pink meanie could be much worse than the expert felt. 

‘I got stung on my back it hurt pretty bad,’ one woman posted on social media.

‘I encountered one today at South Packery just free swimming. And they ARE mean, definitely pack a punch,’ another person wrote. 

Jace Tunnell revealed that the pink meanie (pictured) has a mild sting, but others claim the pain can be much worse

According to National Geographic, when scientists discovered that the pink meanies were a new species, they also concluded that Drymonema larsoni was unique enough to have its own biological family, known as Drymonematidae.

The jellyfish got its name from marine scientist Ron Larson, who conducted early research on the species.

However, its more popular nickname comes from its bright color and aggressive nature towards the common moon jellyfish.

If you happen to be stung by one of these creatures, Tunnell recommended pouring vinegar on the area.

This can help remove the tentacles from your skin and also cut down some of the stinging sensation the creature left behind.