Portuguese Man-of-War/carabela portuguesa
LOOK, BUT DO NOT TOUCH!
Physalia is the only genus in the family Physaliidae. Its long tentacles deliver a painful sting, which is venomous and powerful enough to kill fish and even humans. Despite its appearance, the Portuguese man o' war is not a true jellyfish but a colonial organism. These polyps are attached to one another and physiologically integrated, to the extent that they cannot survive independently, creating a symbiotic relationship, requiring each polyp to work together and function like an individual animal.
Portuguese Man-of-War/carabela portuguesa
LOOK, BUT DO NOT TOUCH!
Physalia is the only genus in the family Physaliidae. Its long tentacles deliver a painful sting, which is venomous and powerful enough to kill fish and even humans. Despite its appearance, the Portuguese man o' war is not a true jellyfish but a colonial organism. These polyps are attached to one another and physiologically integrated, to the extent that they cannot survive independently, creating a symbiotic relationship, requiring each polyp to work together and function like an individual animal.