The return of the blue dragon after three centuries
In recent days, several bathers have been paralyzed in front of a strange finding: a tiny be blue, floating mouth on the foam of the sea. His silhouette seems a cross between a marine jewel and a character out of a pokeball. It shines in electric tones, displays appendages in the form of wings and moves with the lightness of an acrobat. It is the blue dragon (glaucus atlanticus), a nudibranchium that barely measures four centimeters, but has caused the closure of whole beaches. In Guardamar del Segura (Alicante), the council of beaches defined it to the information With humor as an army of “Pokemons doing pirouettes.” The comparison may sound sympathetic, but behind its lovely appearance there is a warning: this animal can chop and cause painful reactions. Minipokémon on the beach. In recent days, the people of Guardamar del Segura in Alicante has become an epicenter of the phenomenon. On beaches such as Vivers, Centro and Ortigues, the City Council has been forced to raise red flag after the detection of specimens by lifeguards. Although it has not been the only place, because very close to there, on the beach of La Mata (Torrevieja), dozens of blue dragons have also been located, which has confirmed that it was not an isolated case, as they have indicated In local media. A visitor that expands. The blue dragon is not limited to Vega Baja. According to the countryspecimens have been recorded in Mallorca, where they have not documented for more than three centuries. Also in Santa Barbara in Cádiz and on several beaches of the Campo de Gibraltar, such as Sotogrande and the line, which had to close by caution. To this list are added Canet d’e Berenguer (Valencia) and Famara (Lanzarote), where bathers and authorities also notified their presence. As experts have explained National Geographicthese animals reach the shore dragged by currents and winds of lift from the high seas, their natural habitat. Behind these dragons. The glaucus atlanticus floats mouth and wears a striking electric blue with silver tones that make it look like a fantastic creature. His deployed appendices inevitably remember characters such as Vaporaeon or even gyarados of the Pokémon saga. However, its appearance hides a sophisticated defense mechanism: when feeding on jellyfish and hydrozoos, the blue dragon accumulates its urticating cells at the ends of its appendices, becoming an animal capable of causing cutaneous reactions. According to National Geographictheir bites are not lethal, but painful: they can cause a sensation of intense burning, nausea and vomiting. Is there a real danger? The scientific community asks for calm. “Close beaches for three or four specimens is an overreaction because there is no scientific evidence of its danger,” says Juan Lucas Cervera, Professor of Biology at the University of Cádiz In statements to El País. The Municipal Biologist of Torrevieja, Juan Antonio Pujol, agrees that documented lesions are slight and that they often confuse with jellyfish bites. Opportunity for science. Beyond the tourist alarm, the appearance of the blue dragon opens a window of knowledge. The University of Valencia and the Oceanogràfic, together with the University of Alicante, have received living specimens to study their genetics, origin and behavior, as the information has detailed. In this way, researchers will be able to confirm whether these individuals come from the Atlantic and arrive at the Strait of Gibraltar or if they begin to consolidate in the Mediterranean. Pujol has remembered in chain to be That is not an invasive species: it was already described in the Balearic Islands in 1705, although its presence has been extraordinarily rare. Security recommendations. The authorities and experts insist on four basic guidelines: Do not touch it under any circumstances, even with gloves. Do not capture it or take it to lifeguards; It must remain in the sea. Notify surveillance services to register the sighting. In case of bite, go to the health center and avoid home remedies. A fascinating case. The blue dragon has generated a stir in full tourist season, thanks to its rarity and beauty. Some point to climate change as a possible cause, but experts ask for prudence: although the Mediterranean has reached record temperatures Of more than 28 degrees, there are no conclusive evidence to directly relate its proliferation to global warming. Beyond theories, science celebrates a unique opportunity to study a species as striking as unknown. With unique behaviors – found on his back to camouflage himself, he is a hermaphrodite and can put 10 to 30 eggs in his prey – the blue dragon symbolizes how much remains to be discovered in the seas that surrounds Spain. Image | Poyt448, Peter Woodard Xataka | The sea is 30 degrees in the Balearic Islands and that worries meteorologists: the Mediterranean is a pressure cooker
