2023.08.29

Absheron beaches were attacked by jellyfish

The other day, information about "Poisonous jellyfish entering the waters of Absheron beaches" was spread on the Facebook social network. According to those who swam in the sea, they felt an unexpected itch after entering the water. The itching started at one point and then started to cover the whole body. Panic-stricken people got out of the water and discovered small rashes on their bodies.

The rashes are reported to be accompanied by nausea and even fever and can only be caused by the tiny poisonous jellyfish in our waters.

Minval.az employee addressed to hydrobiologist Anvar Jalilov on the current issue. According to the scientist, since the water area of the Caspian Sea is not connected to the world ocean from almost all sides, there are only two types of jellyfish.

The hydrobiologist said that the aggressive comb jelly Mnemiopsis lives in the Caspian waters, but this species is not dangerous for those swimming in the sea, but for the Caspian ecosystem. Thus, this type of jellyfish feeds on plankton and fish spawn, thereby destroying most of the food supply of most marine animals and their young. The scientist also noted that this type of jellyfish has already destroyed up to 75% of zooplankton, leaving many species of sturgeon and Caspian seal populations on the brink of extinction.

Because comb jelly Mnemiopsis is a hermaphrodite, no one and nothing prevents it from reproducing. But another ctenophus - Beroe, successfully hunts mnemiops. By the way, as noted by A. Jalilov, ctenophores are actually not considered jellyfish at all and are even classified as a separate species.

However, it is unlikely that another type of jellyfish will appear in the waters of the Absheron beaches, because jellyfish migrate due to global climate change, and it is likely that representatives of some tropical species can move from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caspian Sea through the Volga-Don Canal.

In addition, A. Jalilov said that although the employees of the institute collected sea water to control jellyfish and polyps from May to September, they have not discovered a new type of jellyfish in the Caspian Sea. It is likely that if they exist, then these jellyfish can be found in very small quantities and in a small part of the water area. "In any case, the observations will continue, the jellyfish season will end at the end of September, and if a new type of jellyfish is discovered, the public will be informed about it," said A. Jalilov.