The number of dangerous purple jellyfish are now in relative decline as there have not been any recent reports of dense congregations, researchers at the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (ELKETHE) have said. Tentacles of purple jellyfish that can reach up to 2 meters, carry a very painful sting and have proliferated in several parts of the Aegean and Ionian seas this year.
“This [decline] is evident from the fact that, according to the reports we receive from port authorities as well as citizens, we do not have cases of large concentrations of purple jellyfish – i.e. no swarms have been observed,” said Epaminondas Christou, director of research at ELKETHE, who hastened to clarify “these are estimates based on the indications so far, as there is no systematic monitoring.”
There have been numerous reports of purple jellyfish in the Saronic Gulf, the Argolic Gulf, the Cyclades, the Ionian, the southern Peloponnese, northwest Crete, and the first leg of Halkidiki, according to the most recent citizen observations on the iNaturalist platform.
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