A marine biologist has actually warned bathers about the risks of a stinging snake-like gelatinous sea animal that has actually been found all over Maltese waters however is anticipated to be out of the method by summertime.
Although he explained it as a “stinging ‘snake’” in a Facebook post, Alan Deidun explained it is really a nest of cells, referred to as a siphonophore, however is still an animal to “beware of”.
A cause for issue– Marine biologist Alan Deidun
A close relative of the feared Portuguese man o’war, it is from the jellyfish family and is renowned for its “nasty pinch”. He cautioned bathers might get stung several times by the siphonophore that is “pretty much transparent and close to the surface”.
The nest is a structure of numerous polyps cohabiting, each with their own sting cells, and Deidun said it was most likely to be the Forskalia edwardsii that can reach a length of 10 metres.
While worrying they are a “cause for concern”, Deidun likewise assured that their existence was “seasonal and fleeting”, unlike the Mauve stingers, which they are anticipated to be passed summertime.
The types prevails in regional waters throughout spring, due to the thermocline – the shift layer in between the warmer blended water on the leading and cooler deep water listed below.
But what was “surprising” to Deidun was the “sheer numbers of the colony” at the minute, which he explained was because of the extended calm weather condition in the previous weeks that permitted them to increase from the depths.
The siphonophore “infestation” has actually been found around the coast of all the islands in areas as far apart as Ċirkewwa, Marsaxlokk, Birżebbuġa, Mistra, St Paul’s Bay, Valletta and Balluta by scuba divers and swimmers who even crossed their crawling courses throughout a recent Gozo-Malta swim.
‘More eyes and ears out there’
The recent rough sea, nevertheless, would have triggered the fragile nests to distribute, break down into pieces due to their gelatinous structure or retreat much deeper to prevent being destroyed by the churning waters.
Deidun said the varieties of types reported might likewise be because of there being more food in the water as an outcome of aquaculture and seaside activity.
He likewise put the many sightings to the truth that much more swimmers, and even kayakers, were starting in spring.
This led to “more eyes and ears out there” and better reports of sea animals by “an army of citizen scientists” through his Spot the Jellyfish resident researcher campaign.
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