A “rarely seen” venomous sea creature, which feeds on the toxins of the jellyfish-like Portuguese man-of-war, has washed up en masse on Texas beaches, scientists warn.
Marine biologists spotted these dangerous ‘blue dragons,’ a surface-skimming sea slug, along North Padre Island, just south of Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday.
‘Warning: do not touch the blue dragon!’ A local research institute alerted its social media followers, posting a researcher’s photographs of the toxic blue creature.
“When threatened or touched,” according to the institute, “it can release stinging cells with more powerful stingers than the Portuguese man-of-war can release on its own.”
This “blue wave,” which researchers say is just beginning thanks to next spring’s strong southeasterly winds, has also inundated Texas beaches with toxic man-of-war and “thousands” of predatory “wind-blown sailors,” with more on the way.
Marine biologists spotted these dangerous ‘blue dragons,’ a surface-skimming sea slug (above), this Sunday along North Padre Island, just south of Corpus Christi, Texas.
This “blue wave,” which researchers say is just getting started thanks to next spring’s strong southeasterly winds, has inundated Texas beaches with toxic Portuguese man-of-war and “thousands” of wind-blown predatory sailors (seen above ). ), and more are on the way
Jace Tunnell, a marine conservationist who produces ‘to walk on the beach‘ for the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, saw stranded blue dragons on an expedition to North Padre Island on Sunday.
“I’m at the beach all the time, so when I find something new or strange, I’m always intrigued,” Tunnell told DailyMail.com. “Once I found the blue dragon, I knew I wanted to take pictures of it without touching it.”
And despite their bright blue hues, toxic dragons can be difficult to spot.
The sea slug typically measures no more than an inch long and its multi-hued color is meant to blend with both the blues of the ocean and the sky, making the dragon “a master of disguise,” according to the marine ecologist. Australian Dr. Steve Smith. .
“If someone was stung by a blue dragon,” Tunnell explained to DailyMail.com via email, “it would be intense pain for about an hour.”
“People may experience nausea and the sensation of needles scratching the skin,” he said. “Anyone who has been stung by a warship knows what I’m talking about.”
“A lot of people have stung me,” Tunnell said. ‘I’m a surfer. ha ha ha.’
These painful toxins within a blue dragon, formally known as Atlantic glaucous sea ​​slug, comes from its parasitic feeding on the 30-foot tentacles of its most venomous host, the Portuguese man-of-war.
The blue dragon is immune to man-of-war toxins and collects the substance for its own defense, harboring increasing concentrations within the finger-like tips of its wing-like appendages, called cerata.
“Every spring we get strong southeasterly winds that bring in all kinds of interesting objects from the Gulf,” according to Tunnell, who collected his specimens with a small clear bucket for his own safety.
Although increasingly powerful ”Category Six” megahurricanes are projected for the Gulf of Mexico due to climate change, the marine researcher noted that although the arrival of the G. atlanticus The blue dragon was rare, it was not unusual.
“I don’t think this is related to climate change,” he said, “it’s just a normal seasonal pattern we see here along the coast.”
The blue dragon (left) is immune to man-o-war toxins and collects the substance for its own defense, harboring increasing concentrations within the finger-like tips of its wing-like appendages, called cerata. On the right, close up, a sailor stranded “by the wind”
Blue dragons extract stinging cells from the warship (pictured) they eat and concentrate those cells, meaning their stingers can be stronger than a warship’s stinger.
Marine ecologist Dr Steve Smith, director of the National Marine Science Center at Southern Cross University, described the evolutionary logic of the vibrant blue color of the “blue dragon” sea slug as an example of “countershading”.
But fortunately, as Dr Steve Smith, a marine ecologist at Southern Cross University, said previously Australian Geographicthe creature does not always attack humans.
“I’ve spotted them many times and they haven’t stung me,” as Dr. Smith, an expert on sea slugs like the blue dragon, told the publication during a series of sightings in 2017.
“They are not like the botflies (another name for the Portuguese man-of-war),” he said.
“They may have the ability to sting, but that doesn’t mean they will always do it.”
Because the parasitic or symbiotic ‘blue dragon’ slug glides near the ocean surface along with its warship hosts, it has adopted a light blue belly to better blend with the sky and a dark blue coloration on top. to mix with the sea. surface
Dr Smith, director of the National Marine Science Center at Southern Cross University, also described the evolutionary logic behind the sea slug’s vibrant blue colour, calling it an example of “countershading”.
Because the parasitic or symbiotic sea slug glides close to the ocean surface along with its host, it has adopted a light blue belly to better blend with the sky and a dark blue coloration on top to blend in with the sea surface. .
The technique, according to Dr. Smith, makes the creature less visible to predators.
In a Facebook advisory post on Feb. 12, Tunnell’s employers at the Harte Research Institute warned Texans to expect more small, toxic blue dragons along their coast throughout the spring.
“This is just the first ‘blue wave’ of these organisms coming together,” the institute stated in its publication.
‘Every spring, when strong southeasterly winds blow, we receive a wave of men-of-war, windblown sailors, blue buttons and the organisms that feed on them,’ they noted, ‘the rarely seen blue dragon.’
“You can expect this to happen more as we get closer to spring.”
blue ocean slugs
Blue ocean slug in the photo
What are they?
Blue sea slugs, or glaucus atlanticus, are small sea slugs that live in the ocean.
Blue ocean slugs are part of the “blue tide” group of animals, which includes botfly jellyfish.
What do they eat?
Blue dragons, which feed on some of the most venomous jellyfish in the ocean, seem to prefer the deadly Portuguese man-of-war.
Blue slugs take venom from the jellyfish they eat and store it to use against predators.
How big are they?
Rarely seen blue dragons grow up to three centimeters long.
Where are they located?
The majestic-looking slugs live in warm, tropical waters and follow the current, sometimes washing them ashore.
Are they deadly to humans?
People are advised not to touch blue sea slugs because they can get a painful sting.
The bite could be potentially dangerous.