RM
Portuguese man-of-war
Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia utriculus) washed up on a beach. Also known as a bluebottle, this organism is a floating hydrozoan. It consists of a colony of four types of polyps with different functions. This polyp is the gas-filled float. It also has its tentacles trailing behind it (not seen) that inflict a painful sting. Although rare, in severe human cases the victim may suffer cardiovascular and respiratory collapse. Photographed in South Africa.
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