Portuguese Man o War
About the Portuguese Man o War
Not a single organism but a colony of four types of polyps working together. Each polyp is a specialized individual: one for flotation, some for digestion, some for reproduction, and some for stinging. Their tentacles can extend 50 meters. Their sting is excruciatingly painful but rarely fatal to humans. Even detached tentacles and dead specimens can sting for days. The gas-filled float acts as a sail, catching wind to travel. They are the basis of the open-ocean ecosystem, providing shelter for small fish. They are not jellyfish despite the resemblance. They cannot swim - they drift with currents and wind.
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