Dozens of translucent, 1-inch-long creatures were spotted hopping along a Brevard County beach this week, sparking questions about their identity and origin. The organisms, described as 'jumping sticks' by witnesses, were found near the Indialantic Boardwalk in Cocoa Village, leaving onlookers and marine experts baffled. Diana Duby, a local who spotted the creatures while pushing her stroller, told FOX 35 WOFL they were 'flopping around' and 'very active,' prompting her initial guess they might be baby eels. "That’s what caught my eye," Duby said. "They were just moving so much." Dr. Todd Osborne, a marine biologist at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, confirmed the creatures belong to the leptocephalus family, which includes eels, tarpon, bonefish and ladyfish. "They all fall under this class, the same order," Osborne explained. "They all have the same growth morphology as larvae, which is really cool." The organisms are so young and underdeveloped that experts say identifying their exact species requires further study. Osborne noted the creatures are in their larval stage, a phase that makes precise classification difficult. "At such an early stage, it’s hard to tell them apart," he said. "There’s still so much we don’t know about coastal ecosystems." The discovery has drawn attention to the mysteries of marine life along the Space Coast. Local officials and scientists say the event highlights the need for continued research into the region’s biodiversity. No similar sightings have been reported in the area in recent years, according to Brevard County environmental agencies. The creatures were last seen washing ashore on Tuesday and have since disappeared, leaving scientists with more questions than answers.