and the sea creature is

 

 Cassiopea

the upside down jellyfish

 

  

Cassiopea is a genus of true jellyfish and the only members of the family Cassiopeidea

the one I saw was Cassiopeidea andromeda  

 

They are found in warmer coastal regions around the world, including shallow mangrove swamps, mudflats, canals and turtle grass flats in Florida.

 

 

here is where they live in the world

 

they are carnivorous and eat small animals from the sea or just pieces of them after it paralyzes its prey with its mucous and nematocysts when they are released. 

 

nice
 

 

according to the World Register of Marine Species

this genus includes 8 species

(could not find photos of all of them)

 

1.  Cassiopea Andromeda

and
 

2.  Cassiopea depressa
3.  Cassiopea frondosa

4.  Cassiopea medusa

5.  Cassiopea mertensi

6.  Cassiopea ndrosia range - only 2 places in Australia

 

 

7.  Cassiopea ornate

 

 

 

 

8.   Cassiopea xamachana

 

 

They have a mild sting too, but sensitive individuals may have a stronger reaction

 



 



 The stinging cells are excreted in a mucus; swimming over the jellyfish (especially using swim fins) may cause transparent, essentially invisible, sheets of this mucus to be lifted up into the water column, where they are then encountered by unsuspecting swimmers. The stings, appearing in the form of a red rash-like skin irritation, are known for being extraordinarily itchy.

 

ouch

 

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassiopea