The Emergency Consortium has warned this Saturday of the presence of the Portuguese man o' war (Physalia Physalis) on La Garita beach in Arrieta. The lifeguards of the sandy area have found many in the sand and have raised the flag warning bathers.
Despite having the appearance of a jellyfish, the Portuguese man o' war, also known as the Portuguese frigate, is a colonial organism, specifically, a group of hydroids.
It lives adrift floating in the sea thanks to its oxygen float and its sting is painful and, on occasions, dangerous. Its tasks are divided into moving through the sea dragged by currents and winds, hunting, feeding on small crustaceans and fish larvae, and reproducing.
In recent weeks, the presence of jellyfish and Portuguese man o' war on the beaches of Lanzarote has been frequent. For this reason, the red flag was raised on El Jablillo beach, La Concha and El Reducto.