The University's Spot the Jellyfish campaign attracted 121 reports of sighting last month, its first full month of operation.

The campaign is being carried out by the International Ocean Institute - Malta Operations Centre of the University of Malta and sponsored by the MTA. Its aim is to analyse jellyfish sighting, including movements and the species of jellyfish.

Dr Alan Deidun, one of the organisers of the campaign, said that duplicate reports (i.e. sightings referring to the same species from the same beach on the same day) as well as sightings of uncommon jellyfish which were not backed up by photos were pruned out to ensure a high degree of confidence in the reliability of the results.

Of the submitted sightings, 85% referred to the most common jellyfish species in local waters - the mauve stinger - whilst other species sighted by the public include the bluish by-the-wind-sailor (Velella velella), the last sighting and the Portuguese man o' war.

Many other unidentified gelatinous species, normally uncommon in local waters, were also observed by the public, including pyrosomes and comb jellies.

In Malta, the highest number of jellyfish sightings was received from Ghadira, Ghar Lapsi and Sliema, whilst the most popular bays in Gozo for such sightings were Marsalforn, Ramla l-Hamra and Xlendi.

Reports can be submitted to ioi-moc@um.edu.mt) through the dedicated and interactive website (www.ioikids.net/jellyfish) or through sms (79222278).

For uncommon jellyfish species not included in the campaign posters affixed at different coastal sites, Dr. Deidun stressed the need to collect such specimens and to contact the IOI-MOC on ioi-moc@um.edu.mt in order to effect a definite identification of the species in question.