Blue Dragon Sea Slug: Are They Poisonous?

The blue dragon sea slug is a marine animal with a seeming alien-like appearance that is out of this world. Under the scientific name Glaucus atlanticus, the blue dragon is a sea slug species belonging to a shell-less gastropod mollusk under the family Glaucidae and order Nudibranchia.

While some thought they were already extinct, the population of the blue sea slugs is spread across the world. However, the IUCN Red List classified G. atlanticus to be an endangered species.

Also called blue glaucus, sea swallow, or blue angel, blue dragon sea slugs can be found floating on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Indian Ocean, particularly in the temperature and tropical parts of the world.

Despite their remarkable appearance, these sea creatures can be dangerous for their marine prey, predators, and even to humans.

Are Blue Dragon Sea Slugs Poisonous?

Blue dragon sea slugs are evidently poisonous as shown by multiple evidence, both from research and 'stinging' incidents. Experts also warned that blue sea slugs are poisonous to humans. For instance, picking only one of them may result in a painful sting.

According to the organization One Earth, one sting from the blue glaucus can lead to various health hazards like pain, nausea, vomiting, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and acute allergic contact dermatitis.

Despite being poisonous and their stings to be extremely painful, G. atlanticus cannot kill a human. Yet, conservation authorities recommend to stay away from the said endangered species.

Blue Dragon Conservation Status

As mentioned earlier, the blue dragon sea slug is an endangered species and their decline in number has been attributed to humans. The blue glaucus population faced significant losses since their popularity stormed the internet; majority of their deaths involve many people keeping them as pets.

This is according to the website Ocean Info, which explains that since the diet and mating habits of the blue dragons are not conducive in a closed space, such as aquariums and fish tanks, they eventually die. In addition, ocean pollution has also contributed to their population decline.

Regarding the diet of blue dragons, the non-profit conservation organization Oceana states they are foraging predators which includes venomous prey like the Portuguese Man-O'-war.

If a group of fish is called a "school," a ban of blue glaucuses floating together is called "blue fleet," which often wash ashore and can sting people swimming even in shallow waters, according to the organization.

Blue Dragon Washes Up on Texas Coast

Earlier this year, a San Antonio resident named Erick Yanta caught the venomous blue dragon sea slug while on a trip to Mustang Island, an 18-mile-wide land near Corpus Christi, Texas, along the Gulf of Mexico.

Yanta, along with his wife Anna, were strolling along the beach when they spotted a blue and white creature clinging to a rock. Afterward, they took a picture of it and carefully helped the stranded sea slug back into the ocean.