It’s the middle of summer and the sbeaches they are full of tourists And bathersbut the waters they filled up more than usual with jellyfishalso due to the climate change. In fact, in Italy, as in the whole Mediterranean, jellyfish are increasing. In our seas there are stinging or poisonous jellyfish, but also harmless species. Let’s see together what they are in detail, what characteristics they have and what they do.
Stinging species in the Mediterranean
There are species stinging even in our sea, but fortunately almost nothing that reaches cases of extreme toxicity. In fact, at present, only the Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalis physalis), which has been present for a short time and in any case sporadically In the Mediterraneancan boast of being extremely stinging even several days after its death and even to be able to cause the death of those who touch it (only one case in our sea, in Sardinia in 2010). It is not a real jellyfish, but it is mistaken for one very often.
The species of stinging jellyfish in our sea are: Jellyfish Four Leaf Clover (Aurelia aurelia), the Bright Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca), the Cassiopeia jellyfish (Cassiopeia Andromeda), the Nomad Jellyfish (Rhopilema nomadica), the Brown Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysosceshe), the Cauliflower Jellyfish (Drymonema dalmatinum) and the Madusa Box (Carybdea marsupial).
Jellyfish Four-Leaf Clover (Aurelia aurelia)
The Four Leaf Clover Medusa is very present in our seas, and an encounter with this species is highly probable. It causes dermatitis and itchingIt is called this because it has its own reproductive organs in the shape of a four-leaf clover and are visible from theumbrella.
Luminous Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca)
The Luminous Jellyfish is called this because it is able to light up green during the night hours, even though it is daytime red/purpleIts stings are mostly very very painful burns; dangerous because extremely stinging and very widespreadto.
Cassiopeia jellyfish (Cassiopeia Andromeda)
The Cassiopeia jellyfish lives in “upside down” on sandy bottoms and uses its vibrating tentacles upwards to capture prey. Due to its nature, it is difficult to be stung, but if this unfortunate event were to happen the consequences would be: swelling, severe itching, rashes and vomiting.
Nomad Jellyfish (Rhopilema nomadica)
The Nomad Medusa is white/bluish and it is very stinging. It is one of the alien speciesthat is, not typically Mediterranean, which arrived in our seas through man, and has remained favored by climate change and rising temperatures.
Brown Jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella)
The Brown Jellyfish is called this because of its brown spots on the umbrella. Often provokes dermatitis (more than burns) or blisters.
Cauliflower jellyfish (Drymonema dalmatinum)
The Cauliflower Medusa is called this way because of its shape which is a bit reminiscent of this vegetable. It is really very bigalthough it is not the largest in the world, and can reach a meter in diameter. Tato is as toxic as rare to meet.
Madusa Box (Carybdea marsupial)
The Box Jellyfish is called this because it is a Box jellyfish. Box jellyfish are generally extremely dangerous, and this one is no exception; in fact, its venom can cause anaphylactic shock.
Harmless species in the Mediterranean
There are not only dangerous and stinging jellyfish. In fact, our sea is home to beautiful specimens of jellyfish, mostly harmless: the Hydroidoline (Olindias formosa), The Sea Lung (Rhizostoma pulmo) and the Mediterranean Cassiopeia (Cotylorhiza Tuberculata). These species are not stinging (or at least very little so in the most sensitive subjects) and generally, if you touch them, you only feel a slight itchingThat it resolves itself in a short time.
Hydroidoline (Olindias formosa)
Sea Lung (Rhizostoma pulmo)
Mediterranean Cassiopeia (Cotylorhiza Tuberculata)
