Once we got it to shore and got a better look at it, we noticed that, although the bottom (the "legs" or tentacles that you would expect to sting you) felt like hard plastic, the top of it was slimy and squishy. And then the kids noticed that it smelled like dead fish. And then some tourists walked by, curious about what we were gathered around, and confirmed that it was, indeed, a jellyfish. A Mexican boat guide had picked one out of the ocean to show them earlier, demonstrating that they don't sting.
As you can see, it was a beautiful blue color with darker speckles around the rim.
After getting home, I did a little research and found that, as far as I can determine, this was a "cannonball jellyfish." According to the Mexican "Center for Biological Research" (http://www3.cibnor.mx/iplant1.php?pagID=investigacion/pep/proy/le1_pr147c0),
"In México cannonball jellyfish is only harvested for food. The product has a crunchy texture, which is considered a delicacy in many Asian cities. It is valued for its medicinal properties which are traditionally used for diseases such as arthritis and hypertension."If we had only known, we could have brought it home with us and maybe made a little money! But we buried it on the beach instead.
