Well, bathers along Costa Tropical have been pretty lucky this summer as far as jellyfish go, yet a large one has finally appeared.

This late summer, salty-tourist arrival happened on a Salobreña beach, accustomed during many previous summers to seeing hordes of small, brown jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca) jeering and leering from the surf.

This nasty, blue one is of the Rhizostoma pulmo family, known in Spanish as an aguamal (bad water) whereas in English it’s known as a barrel jellyfish, the dustbin-lid jellyfish or the frilly-mouthed jellyfish – nobody can accuse the English language of being short of an adjective or two.

There have been examples that have grown up to a metre in length and weighing up to 40 kilos, yet their poison is mild – it might not feel like it, but compared to others, it’s a friendly nip.

So why no jellyfish? Well, apparently it depends on sea currents and the price of tourist accommodation along the coast… I might be lying.

(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)

Tags: News, Andalucia, Granada, Costa Tropical, Salobrena, Beach, Jelly Fish, Barrel Jelly Fish

Reader’s comment: “Surely the condom jellyfish????” – Fred Davies