Indo-Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War | Physalia utriculus

Top-down view of an Indo-Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia utriculus). This is one of many thousands that were part of a mass stranding in South Africa. Such strandings happen from time to time, bringing these colonial siphonophores to shore, along with other associated animals such as Velella velella, Janthina janthina, and Planes major from the rarely seen open-ocean, blue-water community of life. The beautiful blue and green skirt surrounding the air pocket (pneumatophore) are loaded with nematocysts, which deliver potent venom

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Filename: blue-bottle-indo-pacific-portuguese-man-of-war-physalia-utriculus-201711-1358.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 5608x5608 / 90.3MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Siphonophore Animalia Cnidaria Hydrozoa Siphonophora Physaliidae Physalia utriculus Blue Bottle Indo-Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War Venomous Atlantic Ocean South Africa
Contained in galleries: Marine Life | South Africa

Top-down view of an Indo-Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia utriculus). This is one of many thousands that were part of a mass stranding in South Africa. Such strandings happen from time to time, bringing these colonial siphonophores to shore, along with other associated animals such as Velella velella, Janthina janthina, and Planes major from the rarely seen open-ocean, blue-water community of life. The beautiful blue and green skirt surrounding the air pocket (pneumatophore) are loaded with nematocysts, which deliver potent venom