Data: Could you please help me identify these????

There were found on March 11, 2006 around 12 noon, at the Henderson State Park, along Okaloosa Island, Destin, Florida.

There were found along the sand where the water recessed. They were along with very small Portuguese Man of War. We asked two Park Rangers, neither had any clue about them.

We have been to this beach and beaches along this coast for years, but have never seen them before.

Could you help?

Identified

Identified: By-the-wind sailor (Velella velella)

Discussions:

• By-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature/marine/velella.htm

• Hello,
  It's Velella velella a pelagic hydrozoa. For a picture of the alive animal:
  http://www.imagequest3d.com/catalogue/surfacedrifters/pages/j060_jpg.htm
  http://jellieszone.com/velella.htm
  You might find them with other pelagic animal: hydrozoa Porpita porpita, Physalia physalis and mollusca as Janthinas, Cavoliniidae, the nudibranch Glaucus atlanticus...
  Kind regards, Sophie

• It is a Velella velella, the "By-the-Wind-Sailor", a man-o-war-type jellyfish's float:http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature/marine/velella.htm
  Regards, Peter Egerton

• This beach curio appears to be a dehydrated Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758), know as the Byth-wind Sailor. It is a jellyfish (or relative depending on your use of the vernacular). It is pelagic and cosmopolitan in distribution.
  See < http://jellieszone.com/velella.htm>....Harry

• This looks like Vellela vellela (by-the-wind-sailor). Once they wash ashore and become desiccated they lose all color....Mary C.