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Recently, several beaches in Guardamar del Segura, Spain, were closed after an unusual invasion of blue sea dragons (Glaucus atlanticus), a rare but strikingly beautiful species of sea slug. Authorities imposed the ban as a precautionary measure to protect residents and tourists from potential stings.

About Blue Sea Dragons

• Taxonomy: A type of mollusk belonging to the nudibranch family.
• Other Names: Also called blue sea slugs, sea swallows, and blue angels.
• Appearance: Known for their ethereal blue and silver coloration and small size (1–3 cm), often floating upside down on the ocean surface.
• Distribution: Found across Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans in tropical and temperate waters.
• Reproduction: They are hermaphrodites, possessing both male and female reproductive organs.

Feeding and Venom Storage

• Diet consists mainly of venomous siphonophores such as the Portuguese man-o’-war and bluebottle jellyfish.
• Instead of digesting their prey’s stinging cells (nematocysts), they store and concentrate them in finger-like structures on their backs called cerata.
• This makes their sting more potent than that of the original prey, giving them a powerful defence mechanism despite their fragile appearance.

Impact on Humans

• Though not venomous on their own, their stored nematocysts can deliver extremely painful stings.
• Reported symptoms include nausea, vomiting, pain, dermatitis, allergic reactions, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
• Children and elderly individuals are especially vulnerable.