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The Portuguese Man O' War
The Portuguese Man O' War or "blue jellyfish" looks pretty in the water, but those who have had the misfortune to come into contact with it avoid it forever after.
Though commonly thought of as a jellyfish, it is actually a siphonophore (a colony of specialised polyps and medusoids).
The Portuguese Man O' War has an air bladder, known as the pneumatophore or sail, that allows it to float on the surface of the ocean. It has no means of propulsion and is pushed by the winds and the current. The sail is filled with air, but may build up a high concentration of carbon dioxide (up to 90%). The bladder must stay wet to ensure survival; every so often it may roll slightly to wet the surface of the float. To escape a surface attack, the pneumatophore can be deflated allowing the Man O' War to briefly submerge.
Armed with long tentacles, sometimes reaching ten metres (30 feet) in length below the surface, they sting and kill small sea creatures such as crayfish.
Although potentially dangerous to humans, the sting from the tentacles usually only cause excruciating pain. These tentacles remain capable of stinging for weeks after the Man O' War has washed up on the beach. The venom can travel up to the lymph nodes and may cause, depending on the amount of venom, more intense pain. In extreme cases medical attention is necessary.
In Barbados, where they are seen mainly along the east coast, people rub sand or raw aloe on the affected part of the body to obtain relief. A study shows that the best treatment for a sting is to apply hot water (about 45 degrees Celsius) to the affected area. The hot water eases the pain of a sting by denaturing the toxins. Ice is also effective by making the toxins less active and reducing the sensation / pain of the area of skin. It also reduces the speed at which the venom travels through the body by constricting blood vessels.
Another effective remedy, surprisingly comes from the Man O' War itself. The sail portion is covered in a slime which counteracts the sting from the tentacles, and can be used for a quick cure. It is recommended to take this from a beached Man O' War, however, in order to reduce the risk of further strings.
You might find it of interest that the Loggerhead Turtle is apparently immune to Man O' War toxins, and is commonly seen feeding on the Man O' War.
Finally, in case you were wondering, the Portuguese Man O' War is named for its air bladder, which looks similar to the sails of the Portuguese fighting ship 'Caravela redonda' (Man of war).
Though commonly thought of as a jellyfish, it is actually a siphonophore (a colony of specialised polyps and medusoids).
The Portuguese Man O' War has an air bladder, known as the pneumatophore or sail, that allows it to float on the surface of the ocean. It has no means of propulsion and is pushed by the winds and the current. The sail is filled with air, but may build up a high concentration of carbon dioxide (up to 90%). The bladder must stay wet to ensure survival; every so often it may roll slightly to wet the surface of the float. To escape a surface attack, the pneumatophore can be deflated allowing the Man O' War to briefly submerge.
Armed with long tentacles, sometimes reaching ten metres (30 feet) in length below the surface, they sting and kill small sea creatures such as crayfish.
Although potentially dangerous to humans, the sting from the tentacles usually only cause excruciating pain. These tentacles remain capable of stinging for weeks after the Man O' War has washed up on the beach. The venom can travel up to the lymph nodes and may cause, depending on the amount of venom, more intense pain. In extreme cases medical attention is necessary.
In Barbados, where they are seen mainly along the east coast, people rub sand or raw aloe on the affected part of the body to obtain relief. A study shows that the best treatment for a sting is to apply hot water (about 45 degrees Celsius) to the affected area. The hot water eases the pain of a sting by denaturing the toxins. Ice is also effective by making the toxins less active and reducing the sensation / pain of the area of skin. It also reduces the speed at which the venom travels through the body by constricting blood vessels.
Another effective remedy, surprisingly comes from the Man O' War itself. The sail portion is covered in a slime which counteracts the sting from the tentacles, and can be used for a quick cure. It is recommended to take this from a beached Man O' War, however, in order to reduce the risk of further strings.
You might find it of interest that the Loggerhead Turtle is apparently immune to Man O' War toxins, and is commonly seen feeding on the Man O' War.
Finally, in case you were wondering, the Portuguese Man O' War is named for its air bladder, which looks similar to the sails of the Portuguese fighting ship 'Caravela redonda' (Man of war).
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