Poisonous boats. Physalia jellyfish or Portuguese man-of-war. Photos and videos. Physalia - danger, poison
Portuguese man-of-war, physalia, bluebottle jellyfish are the most famous names this jellyfish. Lives in warm waters (Florida, Cuba, Mediterranean Sea, Australia, Japan). Often the Gulf Stream brings them to the shores of England and France. When they accumulate off the coast of England and France or, for example, near the beaches of Florida, television, radio and the press warn the population of the danger.
Jellyfish are poisonous even when washed ashore. The shoots reach a length of up to 10 meters (which is like a thread in the sand).
The "Portuguese man-of-war" got its name from its multi-colored swim bladder, which is shaped like the sail of a medieval Portuguese sailing vessel. The bottom of the bubble is blue, and the top is bright red, while the bubble constantly shimmers with purple colors. The bell of this jellyfish shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow from blue to purple, similar to a rubber cap. 
Beauty, however, is deceiving.
Many people mistakenly attribute "Portuguese man-of-war" to jellyfish. In fact, they belong to the order of siphonophores ("siphonophora physalia"), which can only move under the influence of wind and water currents. The length of the Portuguese Man of War tentacles can reach 50 meters, and contact with them can be fatal. 
The poison of the "ships" is very dangerous. Allergy sufferers are especially affected by it, who are advised to immediately consult a doctor in case of contact with physalia, otherwise the matter may end in death. The most common consequence of contact with a “ship” is long-term pain at the burn site and inflammation of the wound. A person may develop nausea, chills, and heart pain.
If a person touches it, blisters will appear on the skin like a burn. It will hurt for about 5 hours. Wiping off the mucus will not help, on the contrary, it will only get worse.
Doctors strongly advise not to wash off the poison of the "Portuguese Man of Man" fresh water because it will only make the pain worse. A reliable remedy that will relieve an unpleasant burning sensation is three percent vinegar, which should be moistened with the affected areas.
The general condition will also worsen and will last for several days. When you see this beauty in the water, immediately swim as far away from it as possible. Turtles feed on these jellyfish. 
In any case, if you feel a sharp pain, as if from a whiplash or electric shock, you can safely scream. Firstly, from surprise, and secondly, you may urgently need help. Physalia venom is very close in its effect to cobra venom. The introduction of even a small dose under the skin of laboratory animals ended tragically for them. If you are allergic, then help should be immediate; if not, then you should still be prepared for some unpleasant consequences. 
First of all, quite long-term pain at the burn site followed by inflammation of the wound. Muscle twitching, chills, nausea, vomiting may develop, all of which can result in pain in the heart. Our famous traveler Yuri Senkevich described his condition after contact with the “ship” as severe and quite long-lasting. And the worst thing is that sea water then irritates the wound for a long time, and if such a nuisance happened in the first days of rest, then only you can decide what to do. The only thing we can safely advise is to consult a doctor, and not be content with the ointments that will be offered to you at the hotel (along with sympathetic glances).
If you are not vacationing on a vacation package, and for some reason you do not have insurance, do not despair. In most countries there are free hospitals, and some of them give a head start to Russian paid ones. And no insurance is required, which is interesting. 
Dangerous beauty
So, burns are not always fatal, although the Portuguese man-of-war is considered the second most dangerous jellyfish in the world (in the strict sense of the word, it is not exactly a jellyfish, but a whole colony of one or two hundred jellyfish and polyps).
A doctor is desirable, or rather, even mandatory, to relieve intoxication and infection. The mark remains, perhaps, for the rest of your life, but it fades and fades over the years... And who knows, maybe it will become a wonderful memory, or, perhaps, a source of some pride for you?
Even if you are an excellent swimmer, water is always not the most native element for a person. Of course, you shouldn’t be afraid and get lost in it; you just need to strive to love, know and understand it. Like many other things in life, probably. 
Going to seaside resort, people do not think about the dangers that may await them in the waters of the warm sea. One of these dangers is the predatory inhabitants of the sea. Most people believe that the only dangers at sea are predatory fish. Unfortunately, this is far from the case. The so-called "Portuguese man-of-war" pose a real danger to humans.
The "Portuguese man-of-war" looks like a transparent comb with tentacles. The length of these tentacles can reach several meters. These inhabitants of the sea got their name due to the similarity of their color to the colors of the Portuguese fleet.
These physalia, dangerous to humans, are cnigar invertebrates and belong to the group of siphonophores. Their tentacles contain stinging cells, which contain a portion of very strong poison. When the tentacle touches the body of the victim, the stinging cells shoot portions of poison at it.
People who have experienced contact with the tentacles of the "Man of War" report that the sensation of contact with the stinging cells of these physalia can be compared to a strong blow of a whip. A mark appears on the human body, which is a burn. Needless to say, the pain is simply terrible. Some people lose consciousness, unable to bear such terrible pain. The predator's venom penetrates the human bloodstream, after which it affects the lungs and heart of the victim.
Depending on which “Portuguese man-of-war” a person encounters, there will be different consequences from the ingestion of the predator’s venom into the body. The victim may feel short of breath, arrhythmia of the heart, etc. If the case is severe, then death is likely.
At the very peak velvet season Physalia have overrun the beaches of Thailand. The authorities of this state are urgently closing the beaches so as not to endanger the lives of vacationers. By the way, this behavior of the “Portuguese ships” is not usual, since, as a rule, there are quite a few of them in the waters of this state. The reason for the invasion of stinging invertebrates on the beaches of Thailand is a mystery to scientists.
It should be noted that it is forbidden not only to swim in waters full of poisonous sea creatures, but even touching dead predators washed up on the shoreline. The fact is that stinging cells with poison continue to act even after the predator’s body has died.
Those who came into contact with the Man of Portugal must take safety precautions to avoid causing further harm to their health.
There is no need to remove the tentacle from the damaged area. The fact is that if damaged, the stinging cells will continue to release new portions of poison, which will not add health to the victim. In order to separate the predator's tentacles from the body, it is necessary to water them with fresh water. If this does not help, then you need to use food vinegar. The affected area on the human body cannot be washed with fresh water.
It should be noted that “Portuguese man-of-war” and “box jellyfish” carry away about eight dozen human lives. However, if due diligence is exercised, the risk of becoming a victim poisonous inhabitants sea waters can be minimized.
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The Portuguese Man of War is not just a beautiful creation of nature. This is a real killer jellyfish that floats on the surface of the water with the help of a transparent bubble filled with gas.
Initially, Portuguese man-of-wars could only be found in the waters of the Gulf Stream, as well as in the tropics of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. But since 1989, this flotilla was carried into the Mediterranean Sea. Scientists believe that the main reasons for their relocation were global warming and the disappearance of food due to large volumes of fish catching.
Portuguese man-of-war plying the ocean 
Tentacles The Portuguese ship fully lives up to its name, which it received back in the 15th century in honor of the flotilla of Henry the Navigator. His upper part, which is a large transparent bubble 15-20 cm in length, is very similar to the stern of a ship. The boat moves only thanks to the wind or water current. Another part of it is hidden under the water - poisonous tentacles. Their length can reach 30 meters!
They are equipped with stinging cells, which, like small harpoons, pierce the prey and inject poison, which is dangerous to humans. After contact with the tentacles, severe burns remain on the skin. Regular 3%-5% vinegar helps relieve pain and destroy poison.
Portuguese Man of War burns 
Physalia is especially dangerous for children, the elderly and people with increased allergic reactions. There is a known case of death. This spring, policeman Igor Kuznetsov, who encountered it in Egypt while on vacation, died from a jellyfish sting. He was taken to Moscow by a special flight from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, but Russian doctors were unable to pull him out of his coma. Beauty is sometimes dangerous, deadly.
For small fish and crustaceans, meeting it guarantees a quick death. But there is one fish from the perch order that is not susceptible to physalia poison. The boat and this fish have developed a wonderful strategy of mutual assistance: the fish serves as bait for future victims of the physalia, and itself feeds on the remains of prey and the dead ends of the jellyfish’s tentacles. This is such a wonderful tandem.
But still Portuguese man of war could also become someone's lunch. The big-headed jellyfish is happy to feast on sea turtle And
Portuguese man-of-war (lat. Physalia physalis) belong to very primitive, but very interesting invertebrate organisms - siphonophores, close relatives of the jellyfish familiar to us all. This is perhaps one of the most numerous inhabitants of the ocean surface.
They are held on the surface by an air bubble - a pneumatophore, sometimes having impressive dimensions - up to 15-20 cm. Relatively short digestive organs - gastrozoids - hang down from the pneumatophore, and among their thick fringe, spirally twisted hunting tentacles - dactylozoids - go down. Their sizes often reach 30 meters, and they can shrink to 1/70 of their original length.
Physalia tentacles are very formidable weapons. Woe to the crustaceans or small fish that touch them: thousands of poisoned arrows stick into their body, causing paralysis and quick death. I have repeatedly had to experience their aggressive temper on myself - often the backbone of the tuna fishing line is entangled with the tentacles of physalia, which in the heat of fishing passions are not always possible to notice in time. A thin thread fluttering in the wind, like a merciless whip, burns the unprotected body.
The physalia are very brightly colored: the pneumatophore sail is blue, violet and purple, and the long dactylozoans are ultramarine, and it is very difficult to see them in the water. Physalia move along the surface of the water without expending energy. The obliquely set pneumatophore crest plays the role of a rigid sail and forces the physalia to swim at an acute angle to the wind.
The spectacle of such a sailing flotilla sailing in one direction is impressive. Their method of movement on the surface has long been compared to the movement of a sailing ship. They received their name “Portuguese boat” back in the 15th century after the famous caravels of Henry the Navigator.
Physalia are widespread in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans. In the Sea of Japan they are observed relatively rarely; they are brought here in summer period Tsushima Current. They can also be found in the south of the South Kuril region.
Senior Researcher, Laboratory of Ichthyology, Institute of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate biological sciences A. S. Sokolovsky.
Many people have encountered a jellyfish at least once in their lives. This meeting was not pleasant for everyone, since some species sting upon contact with the skin, that is, they leave burns, and often very painful ones. The Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish, among other things, is also famous for this.
A little about jellyfish
Maybe, most people have encountered these organisms in one way or another. They are absolutely extraordinary and fascinating in the water, but on land they don’t look so impressive. We are talking about jellyfish - a stage of development of some organisms. They may look very different, but they also have something in common, so that even those who see them for the first time will be able to recognize them quite easily: they are often almost transparent and resemble a dome or parachute in shape.
There is a huge variety of jellyfish living in different parts planets, so you can collide with them both on southern resort, and in northern latitudes. Usually most of them are not too dangerous, although such a neighborhood can hardly be called pleasant when you want to swim in the warm sea. There are also several species traditionally classified as jellyfish, which are extremely dangerous to humans. "The Man of Portugal" is one of the most serious of them. At the same time as its beautiful and unusual form, it is terribly poisonous. What kind of jellyfish is this?
"Portuguese man-of-war" - where does this name come from?
She really is very beautiful. swim bladder unusual shape, iridescent in the light, purple on top and turning blue below, long threads of tentacles. From the water, it may not be visible at all to those who are focused on something else. You can also mistake it for a rubber cap or a soap bubble, especially when you see it for the first time.
But do not be deceived by the beauty demonstrated by the “Portuguese man-of-war” - this jellyfish is in second place in terms of danger to humans. But where does this come from? unusual name? Physalia - and this is the scientific name of this creature - looks like the sails of a Portuguese warship, bright and noticeable.
Description and features
The "Portuguese man-of-war" jellyfish, a photo or drawing of which almost everyone has probably seen in a textbook on school subject "The world around us", - this, strictly speaking, is not one creature, but a whole colony belonging to the order of siphonophores.
A transparent bubble up to 30 centimeters in size, visible above the water, is filled with gas and serves to support the creature on the surface of the water, and also to some extent acts as a rudder. Below it, the siphosome is asymmetrically located - bundles of processes that perform certain functions to ensure the life of the colony. The “Portuguese boat” moves due to the current and wind, without taking any independent actions due to the lack of appropriate organs.
This creature has long tentacles that can reach 50 meters when extended. And at the same time, they are poisonous, and can be extremely dangerous for some categories of people; even deaths have been recorded.
Physalia mainly feeds on zooplankton and small fish. They, in turn, are eaten by some shellfish. Well, people should just avoid them.
Habitats
You want to see such beauty with your own eyes, and not in a picture, so it’s not surprising that so many people want to see the “Portuguese man-of-war” for themselves. Where does this amazing creature live?
As a rule, physalia prefers warm seas and latitude, found in the Mediterranean and Caribbean seas, as well as off the coasts of Australia and Japan. However, currents often throw them into colder places, and when their accumulations are observed near popular beaches in England, France, Florida, etc., all media announce the alarm, and all services prepare to treat the burns of careless and inattentive swimmers.
Danger
As many people know, you should be especially careful not with the dome, but with the tentacles, where the stinging cells are located. The "Portuguese Man of War" is no exception to this, especially since its poison is quite strong. Tactile contact with the siphosome feels like a blow from a whip or a discharge of electricity - it is a very strong and sharp pain. Burn marks immediately appear, which can become inflamed in the future.
Children, allergy sufferers, people with chronic diseases, etc. should be especially careful. And it wouldn’t hurt for others to keep their eyes open when swimming in the warm sea, and promptly sail away when they see something similar to a “Portuguese man-of-war.” This is truly a case where it's better to be on the safe side. By the way, it is worth remembering that even a physalia thrown onto land remains dangerous for some time, so you should not approach it at all, much less touch it.
Consequences of the meeting
Apart from the pain and burning of the skin in contact with the physalia, general health also rarely remains good: the victim may suffer from chills and nausea, may feel pain in the heart, and sometimes even experience spasms and convulsions. The discomfort may last for several days, after which it will pass. In some complex cases, damage to the central nervous system and spasms of the respiratory system are observed, and hematopoiesis suffers.
There are also known cases deaths after meeting with physalia, but most of them were from weakened organisms. Do not neglect the basic safety rules, because it is not so difficult. And, of course, you should closely monitor your children if there is reason to believe that there is a cluster of Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish nearby in the sea. A photo of these creatures, of course, will retain impressions of their beauty for a long time, but scars left on the skin for life are unlikely to evoke pleasant memories.
First aid and further actions
First of all, after contact has occurred, you need to get out of the water so as not to drown. In no case should you try to rub the mucus or wash it off with fresh water - this will activate the stinging cells, so these actions will cause even more terrible pain to the victim. Usually the acute burning sensation goes away within a few minutes, but the discomfort may persist for several days.
There is an opinion that the surest way to neutralize the poison for which the Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish is famous is three percent vinegar, which must be moistened with the skin. However, there is an opposite point of view, according to which the use of this remedy is categorically not recommended. If the poison gets into the eyes or the pain does not go away for a long time, and there are doubts about a successful outcome, it is best to immediately contact local doctors.
Treatment of burns
Unlike most other jellyfish, an encounter with a physalia is unlikely to ever be erased from the victim’s memory. Actions after providing first aid depend on how the victim who collided with the “Portuguese man-of-war” feels. Burns often become inflamed and irritating salt water, so if an unpleasant encounter at sea occurs immediately after arrival, it can greatly ruin your vacation. For several days, there may be no time for entertainment at all due to the unsuitable state of health, but then everything will only get better. Burn marks may last a lifetime, although they will fade and become less noticeable over time. To some extent, this can even be considered an adventure.