The marine world is a fascinating place, because among all the mysteries it harbors, without a doubt, the biodiversity of species is one of them. Within the immense number of animals that live in the oceans, we find the cnidarians, a group that shares, among other aspects, the ability to inoculate toxic substances that they use for hunting or defense, which vary in power, depending on the species. In this tab of our site, we want to present you information about the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis), which has a medusoid appearance, but is not really a true jellyfish. Read on and find out what kind of animal it is and its main characteristics.
Characteristics of the Portuguese caravel
The Portuguese man-of-war is also known as the Portuguese warship and, without a doubt, it is a very peculiar animal, which It is usually considered a type of jellyfish, but taxonomically it is included in a different group from the latter. Let's know the main characteristics of the Portuguese man-of-war:
- The Portuguese man-of-war belongs to the phylum Cnidaria: within the class Hydrozoans and to the order Siphonophores. The latter are colonial organisms, formed by medusoid and polypoid individuals, with specialized functions within the colony. We tell you more about the Types of cnidarians: what they are, examples and reproduction, here.
- It has four types of specialized structures: a pneumatophore or floater, dactylozooids or tentacles, gastrozooids or feeding zooids, and gonozooids responsible for production of gametes for reproduction.
- The tentacles are loaded with cnidocytes or toxic cells.
- It has a large number of sensory cells: they are located on the tentacles and around the mouth, which it uses for touch and feel the temperature.
- A part of the body is outside the water: which corresponds to a pneumatophore or floater, it is translucent, with a blue, purple hue or pink.
- The float is about 9 to 30 cm long, and about 150 cm wide high: it is filled with a mixture of gases, one part produced by the animal and the other part taken from the air.
- The pneumatophore functions both as a float and as a sail: it propels the animal over the water by the action of the wind.
- The tentacles are submerged: they are quite long structures, ranging from about 10 to 20 meters, which are used to catch the food.
Habitat of the Portuguese man-of-war
The Portuguese man-of-war has a wide distribution, as it grows in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The habitat is made up of surface waters with tropical or subtropical conditions, being common to be found in:
- Caribbean Sea
- Florida Coast
- Gulf of Mexico
- Sargasso Sea
Now that you know where the Portuguese man-of-war, also known as the Portuguese frigatebird, is found, read on to find out about its habits and diet.
Customs of the Portuguese caravel
The Portuguese warship has a passive displacement because it is pushed by the wind. The direction in which it moves will depend on the disposition of the pneumatophore, which depending on the individual may be to the right or to the left. In this sense, since it is not capable of swimming on its own, it is common that in certain areas many end up stranded on the coast, while others are propelled towards open waters.
This type of cnidarian, as it is floating, is between the interface of water and air, so it is exposed to solar radiation conditions, waves, winds, in addition to the underwater environment. When there is an attack on the surface, it has the ability to momentarily deflate and sink.
Feeding of the Portuguese man-of-war
The diet of the Portuguese man-of-war is of the carnivorous type and uses its tentacles, loaded with cnidocytes, tocatch and paralyze prey Once the food is trapped and immobilized, it is taken to the polyps in charge of digestion, which correspond to a stomach in the form of a bag, located under the float.
After introducing the food, a series of digestive enzymes process the food, so that the nutrients are then absorbed and transported to the rest of the colony. The parts that are not digested are expelled through the mouth.
Common prey items for the Portuguese man-of-war include:
- Adult Fish
- Fingerlings (young fish)
- Shrimp
- Other crustaceans
- Zooplankton
Reproduction of the Portuguese caravel
As we have mentioned, each Portuguese man-of-war is actually a colony, being unisexual, that is, each “individual” is male or female, so, depending on this, they produce eggs or sperm, respectively. There is no precision of the place where fertilization occurs, but it is estimated that it is in open water, due to a chemical response that occurs when different colonies are grouped. Generally, reproduction occurs in autumn, so descendants are observed in winter and spring.
Once the sexual cells are released, the spermatozoon fertilizes the ovule to later give rise to a larva, which will transform into a zooid that will produce a new colony. The process initially occurs underwater, where the larva develops. Initially, the float and a feeding zooid will form. Subsequently, the tentacles, the gastrozoid itself and the gonozooids originate.
Portuguese man-of-war sting
A characteristic feature of all cnidarians is the presence of cnidocytes, in fact, hence the name of the group, which are specialized cells endowed with toxic substances that paralyze prey and thus can easily consume them. Also these structures are used for self-defense. Now, what happens if you get stung by a Portuguese man-of-war?
Toxicity levels vary from species to species, some are only slightly harmful or almost imperceptible to people, but in others cases can be fatal. The sting of the Portuguese man-of-war is dangerous to people, especially children and susceptible adults. In some situations, contact with its tentacles produces a strong pain, and leaves red marks, but in others, it can generate allergic reactions and even shock
In any case, it is always advisable to go to a he alth center immediately when an unfortunate encounter with the Portuguese man-of-war occurs.
On the other hand, as we mentioned, many of these individuals are stranded on the beach, so some people may feel attracted and seek to touch the animal, it is necessary to know that, even if it has died, or even detached tentacles are found, these store their ability to inoculate the poison for up to a few days, so you should never touch an animal, even if it doesn't have life, nor to the remains of this
Conservation status of the Portuguese man-of-war
The conservation status of the Portuguese man-of-war does not respond to a special status, in fact, has not been evaluated to be considered in the Red List of Endangered Species, and in other cases, it has not been included in any particular consideration.
