⁢ Guardamar del Segura, a popular coastal city in southeastern Spain, temporarily closed its beaches this week following the discovery⁣ of highly‍ venomous blue dragon sea‍ slugs (Glaucus atlanticus) ‌in the waters. ⁤Local authorities issued warnings to beachgoers, advising extreme⁢ caution.
⁢

​ ⁢ ⁣ The ⁣Guardamar Police ‌Force announced the closures via a Facebook post, detailing the potential⁢ danger ⁤posed by the ‍small but potent creatures. Despite‍ measuring only ⁣approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) in length, the blue dragon feeds on jellyfish and sequesters their stinging cells-cnidocytes-within its⁤ own ​tissues, amplifying the venom’s potency.

“Contact with this marine animal can be risky and cause painful burns on the skin,” the Guardamar Police Force stated in their public⁢ advisory.
⁣ ⁤

The slugs are ‌capable ‌of​ delivering a paralyzing sting to prey up ‌to 300 times their size, and ⁤while human fatalities are rare, ⁢contact can result in​ excruciating pain, localized swelling, nausea, and in severe cases, systemic symptoms requiring‌ medical intervention.

Two-Day Interdiction, Ongoing Alert

⁣ The initial beach closures lasted two days, but authorities have ⁣maintained a heightened state of‍ alert. Mayor José Luis Sáez has‌ urged anyone experiencing‌ a burn from contact with the sea⁢ slug to promptly cleanse⁣ the affected area with seawater⁤ and seek prompt medical attention. He emphasized the importance‌ of avoiding contact ‌with any unusual‍ marine life encountered while swimming or walking along the shore.
‌

While the Guardamar‍ region ⁣is a renowned ⁤tourist destination,​ sightings of blue dragons in the Mediterranean sea‍ are infrequent. The species is more commonly found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,⁢ with occasional appearances⁣ reported along the coasts of Australia, South Africa, and Portugal.​ Their presence in⁤ the Mediterranean is frequently enough linked to changes in ocean currents and water temperatures.
‌ ⁤

Understanding Glaucus atlanticus

⁤ ​The blue dragon, also ⁤known as the‍ blue sea slug or blue angel, is a pelagic‌ (open ocean) nudibranch. ⁢ Nudibranchs are a ‍group of soft-bodied, ‌marine gastropod mollusks known for their vibrant colors and frequently ⁢enough elaborate ornamentation.Glaucus atlanticus is holopelagic, meaning ​it floats upside down ​on the surface of the water, using⁣ the surface tension to remain buoyant.
⁢ ‌

‌ ​ Their diet consists primarily of Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) and other siphonophores.By consuming these venomous ‍creatures, the blue dragon​ not only ⁤protects itself from predation but also stores ⁤the stinging cells for its own defense.This process, ‍known as kleptocnidation, ⁢allows the ​slug to deliver a more potent sting ‌than the jellyfish it consumes.