Portuguese Man o' War
Physalia physalis
The adult Portuguese man o' war drifts across warm open seas with its inflated blue or pink sail rising above the water. Long fishing tentacles trail beneath it, using potent stinging cells to immobilize small fish, crustaceans, and other planktonic prey. It can slightly alter its sail position to catch wind and may travel in large wind-driven aggregations. Though often mistaken for a jellyfish, it is a colonial siphonophore made of highly specialized zooids.
- Type
- Venom
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Portuguese Man o' War