Dragons are taking over the beaches in Texas. However, these dragons aren't big, scaly, and they don't breathe fire. Instead, they measure 3 centimeters long, dwell in the water, and look extremely intriguing.
We're talking about 'blue dragons' here, scientifically known as Glaucus atlanticus. The sea creature is a type of sea slug, which has a predatory diet that causes side effects potentially dangerous to humans who handle them.
The Rare 'Blue Dragon'
The rarely-seen sea dragon has drawn some attention over the week since making an appearance last week at Padre Island National Seashore. A family walking along the beach came across the creature. Seven-year-old Hunter Lane, with 5-year-old Wyatt Lane, initially spotted the creature washed up on the shore and later on found others as they moved along.
Trey Lane, Hunter's dad, said that his son loves sea creatures and thought that he had found a blue button jellyfish. They used a beach toy to pick up the blue animal, and the boy proclaimed to his dad that he discovered a new species.
Trey says he has been visiting the park for 30 years, and this is the first time he saw the sea slug there. Leah Lane, his wife, said that they found four more of the blue dragons after strolling in the park.
She said that one of them even washed up next right to her foot. Luckily enough, she didn't step on it, she told KSAT, a local news station. Leah added that Hunter wanted to touch the creature due to its soft and squishy appearance.
Luckily, the boy had second thoughts when he considered its bright color, comparing it to a poison dart frog, suggesting that it was poisonous.
The family brought the creature to park staff, who told them that it was poisonous, and it was fortunate that they didn't touch it.
The park then posted a warning on their Facebook page last week after more people reported sightings of the blue dragons. The park warned their visitors to keep their distance if they see the rare sea slug species as they can deliver a sting more painful than the man-o-war.
All About the Blue Dragon
The rare little sea creatures look like electric-blue dragons gliding through the water. However, the blue dragon actually swims upside down, showing off its colors. These tiny creatures pack a nasty sting that they get from their favorite food, the Portuguese man-o-war.
The 3-cm long creature kills man-o-wars and steals their stinging toxins, then uses those toxins as a defensive weapon against predators and outside threats.
Blue dragons usually float in the ocean, carried along by ocean currents or the wind. Despite its slow-moving pace, the species is most definitely a predator capable of delivering such a painful sting.
The venomous cells within their system are what make the blue dragon hazardous to humans. The blue dragon implants the cells within its own body as a form of protection against other predators. Any humans who pick one up could suffer painful and potentially fatal stings.
