Re: Another serious illness from Arkansas Rainbow gathering

On Aug 31, 3:31 pm, whistler <whistler...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


Portuguese Man o' War
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Portuguese_Man_o'_War

The Portuguese Man O' War (Physalia physalis), also known as the
bluebubble or bluebottle, is commonly thought of as a jellyfish but is
actually a siphonophore-a colony of specialized polyps and medusoids.

A similar group of animals are the chondrophores.

Structure
The Man O' War's float is bilaterally symmetrical with the tentacles
at one end, while the chondrophores are radially symmetrical with the
sail at an angle. Also, the Man O' War has a siphon, while the
chondrophores do not.

The Portuguese Man O' War has an air bladder, known as the
pneumatophore or sail, that allows it to float on the surface of the
ocean. It has no means of propulsion and is pushed by the winds and
the current. The sail is filled with air, but may build up a high
concentration of carbon dioxide (up to 90%). The bladder must stay wet
to ensure survival; every so often it may roll slightly to wet the
surface of the float. To escape a surface attack, the pneumatophore
can be deflated allowing the Man O' War to briefly submerge.

Below the main body dangle long tentacles, sometimes reaching ten
meters (30 feet) in length below the surface, although one meter
(three feet) is the average. They sting and kill small sea creatures
such as crayfish using venom-filled nematocysts then draw the prey in
to the gastrozooids, another type of polyp that surrounds and digest
it. Gonozooids are responsible for reproduction.

Venom
The sting from the tentacles is potentially dangerous to humans; these
stings have been responsible for several deaths, but usually only
cause excruciating pain. Detached tentacles and specimens washed up on
shore can sting just as painfully as the full creature in the water,
for weeks after detachment. The venom can travel up to the lymph nodes
and may cause, depending on the amount of venom, more intense pain. In
extreme cases medical attention is necessary.
According to a study done by Dr. Geoffrey Isbister of Newcastle,
Australia's Mater Hospital in 2003 through 2005, the best treatment
for a sting is to apply hot water to the affected area. Hot water used
in the study was fixed at 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit). The hot
water eases the pain of a sting by denaturing the toxins.

Applying ice to the area of the sting is also a fairly effective way
to suppress the pain. Ice works by making the toxins less active and
reduces the sensation and therefore pain of the area of skin around
the ice. Additionally, ice constricts blood vessels, reducing the
speed at which the venom travels to other parts of the body, including
the brain; heat has an opposite effect. It was originally thought that
applying ice was the best way of dealing with Man O' War stings before
the study was done. Lifesavers around the world still use ice to treat
the stings of this species.

The Portuguese Man O' War is often confused with a jellyfish, which is
incorrect and may lead to improper treatment of stings, as the venom
is different. A second sting may lead to an allergic reaction.

The Loggerhead Turtle is apparently immune to Man O' War toxins, as
the turtles are commonly seen feeding on the Man O' War.

Origin of the name
The Portuguese Man O' War (named 'Portuguese Caravel' in Portuguese)
is named for its air bladder, which looks similar to the sails of the
Portuguese fighting ship (Man of war) 'Caravela redonda' (an armed 4
sail Caravel), of the 14th and 15th centuries.

.

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