21-12-2023

Blue Dragons

Why in the news?

Recently, blue dragons (Glaucus atlanticus) have been spotted on the beach and in waters near the shore in Besant Nagar in Chennai.

About the Blue dragons:

• The blue dragon (Glaucus atlanticus) is a type of mollusc known as a nudibranch.
• They also are known as blue sea slugs, blue angels, and sea swallows.
• It rarely grows larger than three centimetres long.
• An air bubble stored in its stomach keeps the blue dragon afloat.
• Distribution: It can be found drifting on the surface of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans in temperate and tropical waters.
• The Blue Sea Dragon, a rare deep-sea organism, is known for its unique appearance.
• It is a sea slug, the class of marine organisms that are shell-less mollusks with a wide range of colors and shapes.      
• The Blue Sea Dragon, with its ability to camouflage using both blue and silver sides, is a captivating sight, particularly when forming groups known as 'blue fleets.’

Diet:

○They feed on venomous siphonophores such as the Portuguese man-o-war and bluebottle, which also occur in ocean surface waters.

○The dragons appear immune to the nematocysts – stinging cells – of these jellyfish-like creatures.

○They incorporate these cells into multiple finger-like structures protruding from their body which provides them with a potent form of protection from predators.

• The slug isn't venomous all on its own, however, it stores the stinging nematocysts created by the creatures on which it feeds.
• Its sting can cause problems, especially to children and elderly. 
• One sting from this little creature can lead to nausea, pain, vomiting, acute allergic contact dermatitis, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
• They are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs.   

 Blue Buttons

• Blue Buttons, resembling button-like shapes, are not singular organisms but colonies of small predators called hydroids.
• The Blue Buttons are often confused with jellyfish.   

Source:The new Indian Express