New & now
Rare jellyfish species that only appears in spring came out to greet these exploring locals
Oh my!

Jillian Mallia 29th March 2021

Maltese waters are known to be home to a number of species, including jellyfish buddies that may be an unwelcome sight if you’re minding your own business while swimming. But, they’re a pretty cool sight to behold. In fact, local explorers found a rare species that only makes an appearance during spring while out on their adventures in recent days.

“During one of our treks around the Maltese coast, promoting our beautiful seascapes with the whole world ... we met the below jelly fish,” says Conrad Neil Gatt on social media. “Obviously we admired this in its natural habitat, took only a photo of it and moved on.”

However, they obviously wanted to know more so they shared their findings on social media and tagged local marine expert Alan Deidun who shared some insight into the species. “This is a crystal or mutli-ribbed jellyfish belonging to the species Aequorea forskalea,” he said, sharing that it’s only spotted in spring in our waters.

According to the Oceana guide published by the University, this jellyfish has a “flattened umbrella with a thicker central part. The umbrella is transparent with blue radial canals running towards the umbrella rim” and has “numerous thin marginal tentacles, no oral tentacles.”

“This species inhabits temperate to tropical waters and coastal areas, although it may be spotted in the open sea. Common in spring, when it can be found in large numbers,” the guide shares.

Have you ever spotted it?

29th March 2021


Jillian Mallia
Written by
Jillian Mallia
A book lover, writer and globetrotter who loves exploring new places and the local gems that the Maltese Islands have to offer. An avid foodie and arts fanatic, Jillian searches the island and beyond for the perfect settings to write about.

You may also like...
New & now
New & now
This is Ancient is followed by 1.1 million users on Instagram!

Lyndsey Grima
New & now

Lyndsey Grima
New & now
New & now
Pack your hats and sunscreen...next week’s a tough one!

Lyndsey Grima
New & now
New & now
From the airport to wherever you need to go!

GMM Team
New & now
New & now
The artist uses eye-tracking technology to digitally ‘redraw’ ship engravings found on Malta’s historic architecture.

Francesca Vella

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept", you consent to our use of cookies.

Accept Decline