MedusApp 5.5.3

Obtaining information about jellyfish sightings and stings is essential for various scientific research projects. A convenient tool that allows individuals to report jellyfish sightings and their effects on people via their mobile phones has been developed, fulfilling a crucial need in providing valuable data to the scientific community.

Medusapp simplifies the reporting process: users can capture a photo of the jellyfish, send it through the app, and automatically share GPS coordinates to create a real-time map of jellyfish sightings. Users can also note the jellyfish species if known, but if uncertain, scientists will handle the classification.

Moreover, this application enables users to report other marine-related sightings and the impacts of jellyfish stings. It offers a helpful guide for providing first aid in case of stings and aids in identifying different jellyfish species.

The scientific development and management of scientific-medical data are overseen by Dr. Cesar Bordehore and Dr. Eva S. Fonfría from the Multidisciplinary Institute for the Study of the Environment "Ramon Margalef" at the University of Alicante. Additionally, Dr. Victoria del Pozo and Dr. Mar Fernández Nieto from the CIBERES Respiratory Diseases at the Immunoallergy Laboratory, Department of Immunology in Giménez Díaz Foundation Health Research Institute (IIS-FJD) are involved.

Medusapp was crafted by Ramón Palacios and Eduardo Blasco as a noble contribution to citizen science efforts. The information on jellyfish and first aid is sourced from the LIFE Cubomed project (www.cubomed.eu), in which Dr. Bordehore actively participates.

While photographs of jellyfish sightings will be publicly available through the map, those depicting stings will remain private. The creators cannot be held responsible for user-uploaded photographs; for any inquiries or incidents, individuals are encouraged to contact [email protected].