Peanut Butter and Jellyfish: The Portuguese Man O' War

Not to start off with a fib...but this post is starting off with a fib.  The Portuguese Man O' War is not actually a jellyfish.  They'd probably be insulted you even thought such a thing.  And "they" is in reference to just one Man O' War, not a whole "smack" of them.  

Yes, this beautifully-hued-water-wing-look-alike is a living, swimming co-op.  The Man O' War is actually a siphonophore.  This means they are made up medusoids and polyps.  Polyps in this sense mean something completely different than what we traditionally think of.  Usually the word polyps bring a scene from "Alien" to mind.  Each member of the water-wing has an important part.  Separately they wouldn't get much done...but together they can kick your ass.

The Man O' War is commonly feared off the Florida Keys.  As they should be.  The tentacles contain venom that is 73x stronger than a cobra bite.  The best thing to do if you see one floating (and they can only float, they have no means of jet propulsion) is to swim as quickly as you can the other way.  The other thing that is recommended should you see one on the beach all washed up and dead looking is to not touch it.  While we're naturally curious creatures and would be inclined to poke it, the tentacles still contain toxins.  So while the co-op might be vacant, its tentacles are not.  Those unfortunate enough to have been stung by a Man O' War most likely made it out ok.  Rare are the fatal cases of stinging deaths.  That's not to say those people didn't have it rough for a few hours.  The pain is on par with just about anything excruciating.  So think of the last time you had something very painful happen to you, take that, multiply by a hundred, then add a house-landed-on-you feeling.

This Man O' War (or bluebottle has they're known in certain 'hoods) is Portuguese in name because of its shape.  The common shape of the air bladder that floats atop the ocean appeared similar to the sails of Portuguese ships Caravela redonda.  Or man-0f-war.  

But for all the majestic traits this animal possesses both in looks and etymology, it certainly lacks in all other departments.  Nothing is more disappointing to know that when they sense danger, they'll deflate its air bladder and dip beneath the surface of the ocean to hide.  There are just too many ways to go with that.  And for all of the hullabaloo surrounding its sting, there exists a couple of species immune to it, like the Loggerhead turtle which feeds Man O' Wars.  Wonder if that would make the plural Men O' Wars.