Portuguese Man o' War [Physalia physalis]
Description
The Portuguese Man o' War is not a true jellyfish, but a siphonophore. It is found floating in the open ocean in all of the world's warm water seas. It has a gas-filled bladder that floats above the water and acts as a sail, while its long tentacles hang below the water. The tentacles can be up to 10 meters in length. The sting of the Portuguese Man o' War is very painful and can be dangerous to humans.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Jellyfish, Sea Anemones, and Relatives
Cnidaria
|
|---|---|
| Class |
True Jellyfish
Scyphozoa
|
| Order |
Tube Jellyfish
Rhizostomeae
|
| Family |
Giant Jellyfish
Catostylidae
|
| Genus |
Lobed Jellyfish
Crambione
|