The Sea Gooseberry is curious-looking creature. Fishermen often call it, "cat's eyes." Not a berry but an animal, the Sea Gooseberry is just a little over a half inch long, roundish, and transparent. Streaming behind it are two 6-inch tentacles. Watch near shore for large swarms of Sea Gooseberries in spring, summer and early autumn. Sometimes they wash up on beaches. Though often mistaken for small jellyfish these creatures are not related. The Sea Gooseberry is a Comb Jelly and biologically very different from jellyfish.

Instead of pulsating like a jellyfish, the Sea Gooseberry moves steadily through the water with 8 rows of tiny, beating hairs, or combs, running down the side of its body. These little hairs are shaped like paddles and beat rhythmically to propel the animal as it feeds. When a predator approaches, the combs reverse direction to paddle out of danger. Comb Jellies are not strong swimmers, and they drift on the current.

Comb Jellies and jellyfish feed very differently too. Jellyfish capture prey by stinging, but the Sea Gooseberry gets its food by dragging its two tentacles through the water. The tentacles have many sticky branches with glue cells that attach to any prey the creature touches. The tentacles then spin around to bring trapped food to the animal's mouth on the other side of its body. Sea Gooseberries are voracious carnivores, eating various types of tiny eggs and fish, small crustaceans — and sometimes each other.

During certain points in their life cycle Comb Jellies can be very sensitive to water quality. Changes in their population and health can be a tip-off to larger environmental problems.