Venomous Jellyfish : Bloom Across The Visakhapatnam Coast
A bloom of venomous jellyfish was reported across the Visakhapatnam coast.
- The species, Pelagia noctiluca, also known as the mauve stinger or purple-striped jellyfish, has a painful sting and causes different degrees of illnesses such as diarrhoea, extreme pain, vomiting and anaphylactic shock and can be life-threatening.
- It is a purple-coloured translucent species resembling a floating balloon.
- It is found worldwide in tropical and warm-temperature seas.
- Unlike other jellyfish species, it has stingers not just on the tentacles, but on the bell too.
- These are bioluminescent, having an ability to produce light in the dark.
- A jellyfish bloom is when the population of the species increases dramatically within a short period of time, usually due to a higher reproduction rate. It occurs frequently as a result of rising ocean temperatures.
- These have in the past been known to have caused massive damage to the fishing industry and impacted tourism.
