Sea cauliflower jellyfish swarm Slovenian waters

Slovenia's Adriatic coast is currently teeming with "sea cauliflower" jellyfish, a visually striking species known for its distinct appearance. Andreja Ramšak from the Marine Biology Station Piran explained that the jellyfish, identified as *Cotylorhiza tuberculata*, features a brownish circle atop its bell, dark green symbionts underneath, and flower-shaped oral tentacles with blue growths. These jellyfish are not a danger to swimmers, as they contain very few toxins and do not sting.

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The species is very picturesque and extremely easy to recognize, as it has a brownish circle at the top, dark green symbionts below the bell, and flower-shaped oral tentacles with blue growths.

These "sea cauliflower" jellyfish have been observed in Slovenian waters for two decades, with biologists directly linking their regular appearance to climate change and warming sea temperatures. Ramšak noted that this species thrives in warm, sunny summers due to its unique symbionts. While the mass appearances might create a subjective feeling of the sea being overcrowded, the expert attributes this primarily to natural population cycles and ocean currents, which gather the jellyfish into groups for mating or by drift.

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As pests arrive in agriculture on land, they also arrive in the sea.

Beyond the "sea cauliflower," other jellyfish species are present year-round, including the large bell jellyfish in winter, the eared jellyfish in spring, and the venomous moon jellyfish before summer. However, marine biologists are increasingly concerned about the arrival of new, non-native species, which could cause irreparable damage to the local economy and food production, similar to new pests in agriculture. Researchers have already confirmed the presence of *Postentherogonia orbicularis*, a flatworm from the Pacific that preys exclusively on shellfish, posing a significant threat to aquaculture. Ramšak urges greater public awareness of climate change and lifestyle adjustments to protect natural resources, emphasizing humanity's growing disconnect from nature.

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Humanity is increasingly alienated from nature, so I advise everyone to get to know nature.