Fish Portuguese boat. What is dangerous "Portuguese warship"? Physalia: description of the Portuguese boat

These animals have several names: Latin and very feminine - "Physalia" and Russian, sounding warlike - "Portuguese warships", often shortened simply to "Portuguese boats". This name itself is mysterious, and given that such a contradictory combination accurately reflects the nature of these creatures, then the story about them can intrigue anyone. So who are these mysterious strangers?

It would be more correct to start the story about physalia with their systematic position. These marine animals belong to the class Hydroids, which means that their relatives are such coelenterates as jellyfish, sea anemones, corals, as well as lesser known porpits and velellas. With jellyfish Portuguese boats related appearance. The body of the physalis is devoid of any skeletal elements, it is not just soft, but very delicate, translucent, of all kinds of shades of the sea wave. In guise Portuguese boat two parts can be conditionally distinguished: an oblong bladder up to 30 cm long, very similar to the swim bladder of fish, and many tentacles hanging in thick strands under it.

Physalia, or Portuguese boat (Physalia physalis).

The bubble, at first glance, seems to be an analogue of the dome of jellyfish, but it is arranged in a fundamentally different way. Unlike the dome of jellyfish, which is open from below and is able to contract, the bubble of physalia is hermetically closed and filled with air from high content carbon dioxide, therefore in a scientific way it is called pneumatophore ("air carrier"). The pneumatophore does not allow the Portuguese boat to sink, at the same time, it makes it possible to partially regulate the depth of immersion by changing the concentration of carbon dioxide, and, consequently, the density of the air. From above, the pneumatophore is equipped with a crest, which gives it sailing properties. For all its apparent fragility, the pneumatophore is quite elastic and durable.

The translucent body of physalia is colored in the entire spectrum of blue: from pale blue to deep turquoise. In many individuals, the pneumatophore is pink or magenta-violet above.

But with the underwater part of the physalia, everything is much more complicated. What appears to be part of the body from afar is actually a colony of tiny organisms. And in this respect, the Portuguese ships are much closer to the colonial coral polyps than to jellyfish, which are solitary animals. The entire population of the colony is divided into identical groups - cormidia, whose members specialize in performing certain functions. Gastrozoids, gonozoids, and nectophores play leading roles in each cormidia.

The intricacies of the tentacles of the Portuguese man-of-war close-up.

Gastrozoids have thin, but unusually long tentacles for such miniature creatures - their length reaches 50 m! The tentacles can contract and carry stinging cells capable of firing venom. They pull the slaughtered prey to the mouth, because the duties of gastrozoids include catching and digesting lunch. And this banquet is being started for the sake of gonozoids, who do not know how to hunt, but are responsible for procreation. Periodically multiplying gonozoids are separated from the mother colony and set off for independent swimming. As truly colonial organisms, they undertake this journey not alone, but in groups that look like a branched tree (it is called a gonodendra). The problem is that gonodendras can't swim. This is where the nectophores, who have not shown themselves for the time being, come to the rescue. Each gonodendra is equipped with one nekotophore, which has a swimming bell like a jellyfish. It shrinks and moves the young colony to the surface of the water, over time it acquires its own pneumatophore and turns into an adult Portuguese boat. In adult physalia, nectophores no longer play a role in locomotion and are again waiting in the wings for the generational change.

The tiny Portuguese boat already has a dome and the beginnings of tentacles.

The movement of adult Portuguese boats is amazing. On the one hand, the fragile and primitive members of the colony are incapable of active movements and any meaningful activity. On the other hand, in life, physalia are rarely washed ashore, which cannot be said about the highly developed dolphins and giant whales, which are often overtaken by such a disaster. The secret of these animals lies in the pneumatophore. It is attached to the trunk of the colony obliquely and motionless - exactly like a taut sail. When the wind beats in side surface pneumatophore, physalia swims, and when it blows into the "bow" or "stern", it remains motionless on the surface of the water, simply drifting. Thus, gradually turning around their own axis, these animals make continuous circular migrations, localized mainly in open ocean waters. For this unsurpassed ability in catching the right wind, physalis were called boats.

Young physalia, in which a full-fledged pneumatophore has not yet formed, but tentacles are already well developed.

It is interesting that among these animals there are born right-handers and left-handers, in which the pneumatophore is deviated to the right or left of the body axis. In practice, this leads to the fact that right-handed and left-handed physalia catch winds of opposite directions, so over time, life literally separates them in different directions. Navigators, finding large concentrations of adult Portuguese ships in the ocean, know for sure that all the "vessels" of this armada will have the same sails. However, there is an element over which the drifting flotilla has no control. These are currents.

Strong tides and storm waves carry the tender physalia ashore and then on the sand you can see a mournful picture of a mass "shipwreck". The seagull decided to feast on the remains of this.

A romantic story about living boats would be incomplete without disclosure dark side their nature. By the nature of food, Portuguese warships are predators. The prey of these animals consists mainly of fry, small fish and squid, but gentle creatures use strong poison to kill them. It acts paralytically on prey, and upon contact with human skin leaves burning red welts on it. In high concentrations, the poison penetrates through the skin and causes swelling of the larynx, suffocation, impaired cardiac activity, and in especially severe cases, death. In case of contact with physalia, wash the affected skin area with salt water as soon as possible. It will remove the remaining nematocyst capsules without releasing the poison, and if you wash the skin again hot water, this will accelerate the breakdown of the toxin that has already entered the skin. Sometimes, after such treatment, it is advised to additionally apply shaving cream to the skin and run a razor over it several times to remove the remaining stinging cells. But fresh water in no case should it be used, since nematocysts burst from it, releasing new portions of the poison. It used to be recommended to treat the skin with vinegar, but the results of its application are contradictory and this method has now been abandoned.

Among the tentacles of this physalia, you can see an unfortunate fish.

The main danger of physalia lies in the persistence of their poison and the nematocysts that carry it: even tentacles torn off from the colony and individuals that died a few days ago can burn. This increases the likelihood of a burn when swimming, accidentally touching a boat that has been washed ashore. Every year, up to 30,000 victims of contact with Portuguese warships are recorded in the world. After storms that wash the physalis ashore, some beaches even have to be closed.

Nematocysts of the Indo-Pacific physalia (Physalia utriculus), inside which are coiled stinging filaments. When the poison capsule is damaged, they shoot, delivering the toxin directly to the victim's tissue.

The Portuguese ships themselves are also not spared from troubles. They fearlessly feed on venom-resistant webbed octopuses and moonfish, as well as loggerhead turtles, whose oral cavity impervious to stinging tentacles. Especially insidious are the yantin snails and the nudibranch mollusk glaucus (glaucus). They use the physalium pneumatophore as shelter and home, and instead of gratitude, they gradually eat their host. Not so vicious are the small nomeus fish, which constantly keep under the pneumatophores of the boats. Although they pinch off pieces of tentacles, they do not eat them to the end, finding in their plexus reliable protection from big fish. Good neighbors of physalia are yellow jacks, often swimming in the thick of "flotillas".

Two glaucuses (Glaucus atlanticus) encroach on the life of this Portuguese boat.

Two types of physalia are known in the world: the Portuguese warship proper, which lives in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indo-Pacific physalia, whose name eloquently indicates that it can be found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Indo-Pacific physalia differs from its counterpart in smaller size (pneumatophore length up to 16 cm), one long tentacle and less toxicity: not a single lethal outcome has been registered with its participation.

And this physalia was lucky. She swims calmly in the waters Gulf of Mexico surrounded by good neighbors - Nomeus fish (Nomeus gronovii).

The Portuguese boat (lat. Physalia physalis) only looks like a jellyfish. In fact, this is a whole colony of heterogeneous organisms coexisting together.

© Photos by Matty Smith; Aaron Ansarov Photography

So, the Portuguese boat consists of four types of polyps. The first polyp is a floating shell (pneumatophore), which in appearance resembles a transparent air bubble that shimmers in the sun. The sink is continuously filling atmospheric air enriched carbon monoxide which is secreted by a special gland.

This gas-filled bladder, the length of which can reach 30 centimeters, rises above the water, allowing an organism from the siphonophore order to stay afloat. A multi-colored comb, flaunting on the shell, performs the function of a sail. Other polyps of marine physalia are hidden under the water column. They are grouped, although they are responsible for different functions.

Dactylozooid polyps are trapping tentacle threads with many stinging cells, the poison of which is also dangerous for humans. Tentacles, the length of which in an extended position sometimes reaches 50 meters, are responsible for the defense and food of the Portuguese boat. Along the entire length of the tentacles are dotted with microscopic poisonous capsules that sting and paralyze prey, in particular fish and other small ones. marine life. Other members of the colony are already responsible for digesting food.

Each tentacle has contractile cells that help pull the catch to the third type of polyps - gastrozooids. When caught prey appears, the tubular "stern" bodies expand and cover the entire surface of the prey. Coating their prey in digestive juices, they dissolve the prey's flesh, absorbing the nutrients.

The last type of polyps - gonozooids - performs the function of reproduction. Physalia are found in pale blue, pink, purple or purple. Moreover, they are characterized by bioluminescence.

In a person, even a short-term contact with a Portuguese boat can cause a sharp burning sensation and pain shock. In severe cases, there is difficulty breathing, loss of vision and hearing. A lethal outcome is not ruled out.

Don't touch poison boat either in ocean waters or on land. Even in a dried state, the thread of the Portuguese boat has a stinging ability.

The few creatures that are resistant to the venom of the Portuguese man-of-war are the tiny shepherd fish that live in its formidable tentacles.

As a rule, Portuguese boats slowly drift in warm waters of the oceans, straying into groups of a thousand or more individuals. The colony moves solely under the influence of wind and current. Only in the event of a threat can the Portuguese ship “blow off” its gas bubble in order to hide under water for a short time. Most of the time it's unique. sea ​​creature can be found in the subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Portuguese warship, physalia, bluebottle jellyfish - most famous titles 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 boat" got its name from the multi-colored swim bladder, which is shaped like the sail of a medieval Portuguese sailing ship. Bottom part the bubble is blue, and the top one 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.
"Portuguese boats" are often mistakenly attributed to jellyfish. In fact, they belong to the order of siphonophores ("physalia siphonophora"), which can only move under the influence of the force of the wind and the current of water. The length of the tentacles of the "Portuguese boat" can reach 50 meters, and contact with them threatens lethal outcome.

The poison of the "boats" 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 case may be fatal. The most common consequence of contact with the “ship” is prolonged pain at the site of the burn and inflammation of the wound. A person may develop nausea, chills, pain in the heart.
If a person touches it, blisters will appear on the skin as if burned. It will hurt for 5 hours. Rubbing 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 boats" 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 must be moistened with the affected areas.
The general condition will also worsen and will last for several days. Seeing this beauty in the water, immediately swim away from her as far as possible. Turtles feed on these jellyfish.


In any case, if you feel a sharp pain, like from a whip or electric shock, you can safely scream. Firstly, from surprise, and secondly, you may urgently need help. The poison of the physalia is very close in its action to the poison of the cobra. 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 still need to be prepared for some unpleasant consequences.


First of all - a rather long pain at the site of the burn, followed by inflammation of the wound. Muscle twitches, chills, nausea, vomiting may develop, all of which can respond with pain in the heart. Our famous traveler Yuri Senkevich described his condition after contact with the "ship" as severe and rather long. And the worst thing is that sea ​​water then it irritates the wound for a long time, and if such a nuisance happened in the first days of rest, then it’s up to you to decide what to do. The only thing that can be safely advised is to consult a doctor, and not be content with the ointments that you will be offered at the hotel (along with sympathetic looks).

In the event that you are not on a tour, and for some reason you do not have insurance, do not despair. In most countries there are free hospitals, and some of them will give odds to Russian paid ones. And no policy is required, which is interesting.


dangerous beauty
So, burns are far from always fatal, although the Portuguese warship is considered the second most dangerous jellyfish in the world (in the strict sense of the word, this is not quite a jellyfish, but a whole colony of one to two hundred jellyfish and polyps).
A doctor is desirable, more precisely, even obligatory in order to remove intoxication and infection. The trace remains, perhaps for a lifetime, but fades, turns pale over the years ... And who knows, maybe it will become a wonderful memory, or, it is possible, a subject 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 should not be afraid and get lost in it, you just need to strive to love, know and understand it. Like so many other things in life, I guess.

Portuguese boat (lat. Physalia physalis) belong to very primitive, but very interesting invertebrate organisms - siphonophores, close relatives of jellyfish familiar to all of us. 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, which sometimes has impressive dimensions - up to 15-20 cm. Relatively short digestive organs- gastrozoids, and among their thick fringe spirally twisted trapping tentacles - dactylozoids go down. Their dimensions often reach 30 meters, and they can be reduced to 1/70 of their original length.

Physalia tentacles - very formidable weapon. Woe to the crustaceans that touched them or small fish: Thousands of poisoned arrows pierce their body, causing paralysis and quick death. I have repeatedly experienced their aggressive habits on myself - often the backbone of the tuna layer is entangled with tentacles of physalia, which, in the heat of fishing passions, it is not always possible to notice in time. A thin thread fluttering in the wind, like a merciless biting whip, burns an unprotected body.

The physalia are very brightly colored: the sail-pneumatophore casts in blue, violet and purple colors, and the long dactylozoids are ultramarine, and it is very difficult to see them in the water. On the surface of the water, physalia move without expending energy. The obliquely set crest of the pneumatophore plays the role of a rigid sail and forces the physalia to swim under acute angle to the wind.

The sight of such a sailing flotilla sailing in one direction is impressive. The way they move on the surface has long been compared to the movement of a sailing ship. They got their name "Portuguese boat" in the 15th century after the famous caravels of Henry the Navigator.

Physalia are common in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans. In the Sea of ​​Japan, they are observed relatively rarely, here they are recorded in summer period Tsushima current. They can also be found in the south of the South Kuril region.

Older Researcher Laboratory of Ichthyology, IBM FEB RAS, Candidate of Biological Sciences A. S. Sokolovsky.

Physalia either approaches the shore when the wind drives it, then turns the other side and slowly sails away. She is very dangerous - her poison acts quickly and flawlessly.

   Class - hydroid
   Row - Siphonophores
   A family - Jellyfish
   Genus/Species - Physalia physalia

   Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Length: body 9-35 cm, stinging threads are usually 15 m, in very rare cases they can reach 30 m.

BREEDING
They usually reproduce asexually by budding. Polyps are separated from the main colony, then to create new ones.

LIFESTYLE
Behavior: drifting into the sea.
Food: all small fish.
Lifespan: a few months.

RELATED SPECIES
Among the siphonophores, there are many different types, whole line of which is known as physalia. Only in the area mediterranean sea at least 20 different species have been found. Other jellyfish are also credited to the close relatives of physalia.

   Portuguese man-of-war (another name for physalia) is actually a colony that consists of different types polyps of the same species. Each polyp has its own function.

LIFESTYLE

   Physalia often swim in warm seas groups of several thousand individuals. Transparent and sparkling in the sun, the bubble rises about 15 cm above the water and becomes like a small sail. Surprisingly worthy of the fact that this creature can swim even against the wind, without losing its intended course. Physalia is usually found near the coast, but in the warm months of the year it also drifts willingly towards the earth's poles. Strong winds, which blow towards the coast, are even capable of throwing this sea creature onto land.

BREEDING

   It is not known exactly how physalia reproduces. It was found, however, that it reproduces asexually and that there are polyps in the colonies that are responsible for reproduction. They create new colonies.
   Thus, jellyfish are able to tirelessly multiply, this explains why such a huge number of jellyfish appear in the seas and oceans. Experts also suggested that the Portuguese boat, when dying, releases whole clusters of jellyfish individuals into the ocean, which develop reproductive products that serve to form new jellyfish.

SPECIAL BODY

   The tentacles of the Portuguese boat are armed large quantity poisonous capsules. They are very small, each of them has a twisted empty tube, which is covered with delicate hairs. Any touch by the growth, such as accidentally touching a passing fish, activates the stinging mechanism. Fibers with a poisonous substance, like small harpoons, pierce prey, while remaining connected to the tentacles, their dangerous poison is similar in composition to cobra venom. This venom kills fish and causes fever, shock, and breathing problems in humans.
  

DO YOU KNOW WHAT...

• Physalia is a colony of modified polyps and jellyfish, which, being closely and mutually related to each other, have all the features of a single organism.
• Sailors called this jellyfish "Portuguese boat" XVIII century who talked about a creature that floats like a medieval Portuguese warship.
• by the most poisonous representative these intestinal (stinging) is a jellyfish, which can be dangerous even for humans. She lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

  

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF PHYSALIA (PORTUGUESE SHIP)

   An air bubble (pneumatophore) rises above the surface of the water, which serves as a sail for the physalia. It is filled with a gas similar in composition to air, but has a high content of nitrogen and carbon dioxide and a smaller amount of oxygen. During a storm, the air from the bubble can be released, and then the physalia is under water. Physalia is characterized by the phenomenon of bioluminescence. She is one of two species that produces red light.
   Often between the tentacles of physalia is a small fish from a number of perches. It is immune to its venom and serves as a bait for prey, which the physalia draws into the field of action of its tentacles. This fish then feeds on the remains of prey and the dead remains of physalia tentacles.

PLACES OF ACCOMMODATION
Lives in warm seas, but most often found in the bays of the northern part Atlantic Ocean and subtropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
PRESERVATION
It is not known how physalia is affected by pollution of the seas and a decrease in the number of fish. However, it is not currently threatened with extinction.