'Sea Pickles': Ocean Oddities Wash Up In SoCal

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — Those visiting the sandy beaches of the Southland this weekend may notice some squishy, tubular creatures strewn about on the sand.

Commonly referred to as "sea pickles," the slimy ocean creatures are formally called pyrosomes. Their appearance might be a little jarring but Nate Jaros, curator of fish and invertebrates at the Aquarium of the Pacific, assures they are harmless as they do not have the ability to bite or sting.

"Look, enjoy. It's a great phenomenon," Jaros told NBC Los Angeles.

Pyrosomes, which can span several meters in length, appear to be washing up on Southern California beaches from Malibu to San Clemente. But sightings of these oceanic gummy worms in large clusters aren't exactly normal.

The tubular creatures — which are actually made up of smaller animals known as zooids — ordinarily prefer warmer and deeper waters, but they routinely float to the surface to feed on plankton, Jaros said.

Sea pickles are also commonly refered to as "fire bodies" because they are bioluminescent, according to a 2019 report from the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. Their appearance with other bioluminescent creatures in the waves of Southern California have turned heads in recent months as the water lights up a crystaline blue along the shore.

In the deep sea, the glowing phenomena are extremely common. Bioluminescence has been observed in many marine organisms such as bacteria, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish and even sharks. In fish, there are about 1,500 known species that have the ability.

"Pyrosomes migrate up and down the water column daily to feed in the productive upper marine layers at night," said Dr. Henk-Jan Hoving, a co-author of the GEOMAR study. "At dusk, they migrate back to deeper water layers. During this migration, they actively transport their feces to these depths, while also releasing carbon through respiration."

READ MORE: California Coast Glows Blue Again. Here's Why!