Physalia utriculus, also called bluebottle or Indo-Pacific Portuguese man o' war, is a marine hydrozoan of the order Siphonophorae found in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. A gas-filled bladder allows it to float on the surface, propelled by currents, tides, and by a sail at the top of the bladder. A single long tentacle of venomous cnidocytes, hanging below the float, provides the animal with a means of capturing prey. They can cause painful injuries to humans when encountered at beaches, on which they are sometimes stranded in large numbers.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
Venomous. The note covers its whole genus. Portuguese man o' war Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Physalia minuta — venomous
- Physalia megalista — venomous
- Physalia physalis — considered venomous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Cnidaria
- Class
- Hydrozoa
- Order
- Siphonophorae
- Family
- Physaliidae
- Genus
- Physalia
- Species
- Physalia utriculus
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