“It attacks if it feels threatened”: why the blue sea dragon led to the closure of at least one beach in Spain ?

Le dragon bleu des mers, de son nom latin glaucus atlanticus, mesure entre 2 à 3 centimètres et possède une couleur bleu électrique (illustration). Wikimedia Commons – Sylke Rohrlach

En Espagne, au moins une plage a fermé sur une des îles Canaries à caise de la présence de dragons bleus des mers, un mollusque venimeux.

In Spain, a beach in the Canary Islands has been closed by local authorities due to the presence of a venomous mollusk nicknamed the blue sea dragon. El Mundo reports that the closure affects the Los Dos Roques area, in the municipality of Galdar, on the island of Gran Canaria.

< p>“The appearance in the waters of Los Dos Roques of the blue sea dragon leads to the closure of swimming in the area until further notice”, announced the City in a press release. Bathers are invited to alert the lifeguards if they see a specimen, according to the recommendations of the city hall.

Easily spotted

The blue sea dragon, from its Latin name glaucus atlanticus, measures between 2 and 3 centimeters and has an electric blue color that makes it easily spotted. This mollusk usually prefers to live in the open sea, although it can sometimes wash up on beaches.

According to Futura Sciences, it feeds on physalia, venomous animals resembling jellyfish, and stores their venomous cells, thus becoming venomous itself.

The Galdar City Hall points out that the blue sea dragon is a "venomous fish whose sting is similar to that of a jellyfish" and that it “attacks if it feels threatened”. The venom of the glaucus atlanticus is toxic to humans and can irritate the skin and even cause severe anaphylactic shock. It is therefore strongly recommended not to touch this mollusk if you see one.