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The study documents the presence of the box jellyfish Carybdea marsupialis in the waters of the Ionian Sea in Italy, which constitutes important data for the knowledge of new areal distribution of this species along the coasts of the Mediterranean basin. Carybdea marsupialis belongs to the phylum Cnidaria, class Cubozoa, and is known for its stinging and potentially dangerous stings for humans, making it a species of significant ecological and health interest. The species has previously been observed in other areas of the western Mediterranean, but the report in the Ionian Sea represents an eastward expansion of its distribution range. Results suggest that climate change, influenced by global warming processes and anthropogenic activities, facilitated the expansion of this species into the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. The work highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of indigenous and non-indigenous species and calls for international cooperation to manage any ecological impacts linked to the spread of these marine species.

New individuals of Porpita porpita were detected along the Italian coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. In recent years, due to warming Mediterranean waters, the species has spread even further. This observation opens new horizons for further reports of this species in the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas of Italy.