An amazingly beautiful creation of nature - the Portuguese man-of-war (physalia) - is as dangerous as it is attractive. In order not to get burned, it is better to admire it from a distance.
And, one might say, there is something to admire: above the surface of the water, the “sail” gently silvers and shimmers with blue, purple and purple, similar to those that adorned medieval ships. Its top, comb, is bright red, and the lower part, from which long, sometimes up to 30 meters, trapping tentacles extend, is blue.
Portuguese man-of-war - jellyfish or not?
It must be said that although this creature is a close relative of jellyfish, it still does not belong to those. The Portuguese man-of-war is a siphonophore, a primitive invertebrate organism. It is a colony of four types of polyps coexisting together. Each of them performs the function assigned to it.
Thanks to the first polyp - the gas bubble, the beauty of which we admire, the Portuguese boat keeps afloat and can drift in the waters of the ocean.
Another polyps, dactylozoids are trapping tentacles, all overa huge length of which are stinging cells that inject poison into prey. Small fish, fry, crustaceans die from it immediately, while larger ones experience paralysis. By the way, even when dried, the tentacles of the Portuguese boat remain very dangerous for humans.
Thanks to trapping tentacles, caught prey is dragged to the third type of polyps - gastrozoids, which digest food by breaking down proteins, carbohydrates and fats. And the fourth type - gonozoids - perform the function of reproduction.
Amazing Flotilla
Portuguese boat can only move thanks to the current or the wind. In the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic or Indian Oceans, you can find a whole flotilla of physalia that look like elegant inflatable toys.
But sometimes they "deflate" their bubbles and dive into the water to avoid danger. And they have someone to fear: despite the poisonousness, the boats serve as a coveted prey for some species of animals. So, for example, sea turtles (loggerhead, bighead turtle), moonfish or mollusks (nudibranch, yantina) can significantly thin out the ranks of sailboats.
But the shepherd fish lives among the long tentacles of the physalia as a freeloader. The poison does not affect this fish, but it reliably protects against numerous enemies, and the shepherd himself feeds on the remains of the patron's prey and the dead tips of dactylozoids.
Medusa Portuguese boat is as dangerous as a cobra
The ship is especially dangerous for children and the elderly, as well as for those whosuffering from allergic reactions. A painful swelling forms at the site of the burn, and muscle cramps may begin. The victim has a fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting.
Don't wash the affected area with fresh water, it will only increase the pain. But vinegar can neutralize the poison of physalia. Therefore, they are treated with burns, after scraping the skin to remove the remnants of stinging cells.
But best of all, having seen a flotilla of glamorous "sailboats" from afar, leave the water as soon as possible, admiring them from afar. Alas, this beauty is burning!
