Blue Sea Dragon

THE rare Blue Sea Dragon (Glaucus Atlanticus) has reap‐peared in the waters of Ali‐cante, Torrevieja, Orihuela, and Guardamar del Segura.

It is a type of mollusc and marine biologists think it has been carried into the Mediter‐ranean by the Atlantic surface current. While there were re‐ports of their appearance just after the pandemic they haven’t been documented in these waters since 1705 and are described by marine biolo‐gists as an exceptional find.

The Blue Sea Dragon has been described by researchers as a small invertebrate approx‐ imately three centimetres long although larger examples have been found. They have ‘six highly branched lateral body expansions and a unique ma‐rine blue colouration on their belly and silver on their back.’ Their colouring allows them to camouflage on the surface of the sea. They can be found floating belly‐up on the surface. Even though they are small they are certainly mighty, the Portuguese man o’ war is part of their diet! If you come across one don’t pick it up as their sting can cause a reaction like the Portuguese man o’ war.