The Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis), also known as the Portuguese man-of-war,man-of-war, or bluebottle, is a jelly-like marine invertebrate generally confused with or grouped in to the same family as jellyfish. Despite its outward appearance, the Man of War is not a true jellyfish but a siphonophore, which differ from jellyfish in that they are not actually a single creature, but a colonial organism made up of many minute animals. The Man o' War is found in warm water seas floating on the surface of open ocean, its air bladder keeping it afloat and acting as a sail while the rest of the organism hangs below the surface. It has no means of self-propulsion and is entirely dependent on winds, currents, and tides. It is most common in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific and Indian oceans, but can drift outside of this range on warm currents such as the Atlantic Gulf Stream. The stinging venom-filled nematocycsts in the tentacles of the Man o' War can paralyze small fish and other prey. Detached tentacles and dead specimens (including those that wash up on shore) can sting just as painfully as the live creature in the water, and may remain potent for hours or even days after the death of the creature or the detachment of the tentacle. Never pick one up or step on it while on the beach!! Stings usually cause severe pain to humans, leaving whip-like, red welts on the skin that normally last 2 or 3 days after the initial sting. Be sure to take along "The Solution" for safe and effective Portuguese Man of War injury first aid when going to the beach, swimming, surfing, wind surfing or sport fishing..you'll be glad you did...And don't forget to check out our full line of marine sting first aid products
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