Mysterious 'Tanned Mass' Washes Up On Beach, Photos Leave Internet Divided

A mysterious brown mass washed up on an Australian beach on Monday, leaving social media users divided about the identity of the blob.

Photos of the mysterious "tanned mass" were posted to the Facebook group Australian Native Animal on Monday. The photos showed the blob sitting at the Kemp Beach in Yeppoon during low tide.

"A friend just posted this on her fb asking if anyone knew what it could be? She said it looked jellyish. Found at Kemp Beach, Yeppoon Qld," Charlene Mae, who posted the photos, wrote.

Soon, people in the group took to comments section to make their suggestions to identify the creature. While some felt it was a jellyfish, others were convinced that the creature was blobfish.

"Pretty sure it's the same as a heap washed up in Port Hedland at the moment. Definitely a jellyfish if its the same ones as up here," one person commented.

"Definitely a small lions mane jellyfish and that brown is a normal colour," wrote another person.

"Sunburnt blob fish aka Peter sterling fish," another user commented.

Replying to one of the comments, Mae wrote, "So I’ve done a little research (googling) and from what I can see/find it appears to be a tomato jellyfish (Crambione mastigophora)."

Speaking to News.com.au, Dr Lisa Gershwinsaid said the creature in the photos was most likely a lion’s mane cyanea barkeri jellyfish and that she had discovered the species herself in Mackay in 2010.

"The creature in this picture is definitely bunched up, which makes it hard to tell for sure, but I think it’s a 60 per cent probability of being a lion’s mane cyanea barkeri," Dr Gershwin, who is the director of Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services and co-creator of the jellyfish app, told the outlet.

"The top of the body is quite smooth and richly chocolate brown, which makes me think it’s cyanea. It's found throughout Queensland; we have located specimens as far north as Cairns and as far south Moreton Bay," she added.