2023-05-11 20:45:17
Yes, it really does exist: the Glaucus atlanticus, the blue dragon, has been spotted frequently in the Torrevieja area. Scientists last documented it 300 years ago on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
Torrevieja – Blue kites from the sea? For a long time, they were more likely to be located in the kingdom of the Easter Bunny than in the south of the Costa Blanca. But such a curious sea creature actually exists: in 1705, scientist Johann Philip Breyn from the Royal Society of London documented it on Ibiza. Since then, however, the slimy Glaucus atlanticus has not been seen on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Until now: The conspicuous species is increasingly cavorting on the beaches in the Torrevieja area. The blue dragon appeared here in 2021 and has since been sighted several times by bathers in bays or on the beach, reports costanachrichten.com.
Costa Blanca: Blue dragon appeared on beaches – Curious sea creature
A corresponding article in the journals “Mediterranean Marine Science” and “Quercus” has been making the rounds in the Spanish media these days. The team of biologists Juan Antonio Pujol, Raquel López Esclápez and Nicolás Ubero speaks of an “extraordinary find that increases the mysterious nimbus of the presence of the small invertebrate sea creature”. 300 years after the British scientist Johann Philip Breyn, the Spaniards are only the second to study the blue sea snail or tern – as they are also called in German – on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
The creature, which seems to have sprung from a fantasy film, is a mollusk similar to the sea snail in terms of its nature. Its dimensions of three centimeters are not very dragon-like. The blue dragon, which has now also appeared on the Costa Blanca, is unique because of its six branched extremities and its unique colors. A deep blue defines the belly area of the curious sea creature, shimmering silver the back: the perfect camouflage is when floating on the water surface, the scientists explain.
Dangerous Prey: Leave alone, do not touch
As a rule, the blue dragons are not on Easter Bunny Island, but in tropical and subtropical oceans – and in the hunt for not exactly harmless prey. Because the Glaucus atlanticos likes to eat jellyfish-like sea creatures, including the dreaded Portuguese galley. A curious feature: After the meal, the stinging cells in the hunter’s tissue act as if they were the devoured animal itself. This is why uninformed observers often get confused, and the little dragon from the sea is mistaken for the jellyfish.
On the subject: Penguin-like birds strand on the Costa Blanca
The blue dragon itself is usually less dangerous for bathers than is sometimes assumed, the experts reassure. However, the sea creature should be left alone and not touched (although some Instagrammers do just that in popular videos). In the summer of 2021, scientists were brought to the return of the dragon thanks to bathers of the Costa Blanca. Several specimens were lying on the shore in Las Estacas Bay and in La Mata. The rising sea temperature could mean that encounters of fantasy art in and around Torrevieja are becoming more frequent.
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