Portuguese man o' wars — known for their sting — are actually 4 species. See them
Despite their vibrant blue color and delicate bodies, seeing a Portuguese man o' war along the coast sends beachgoers in the opposite direction.
These jellyfish-like animals are known instead for their sting, prompting warnings from wildlife officials when they make their way onto beaches around the world.
Now, researchers studying these unique creatures have found that Portuguese man o' wars — also known as bluebottles — may actually belong to at least four distinct species.
A research team led by Yale University, in Connecticut, and the University of New South Wales and Griffith University, in Australia, analyzed the genetics of more than 150 bluebottles from around the world to better understand how the widespread species was related to one another, according to a study published June 19 in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology.
The team sequenced the genome of each bluebottle, then grouped them together in clusters based on their geographic range in the oceans, according to the study.
What they found was distinct genetic differences between groups of man o' wars from different areas, despite some overlap between the populations, according to the study.
'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species,' study author Kylie Pitt said in a June 20 news release from Griffith University. 'But the genetic data clearly show they're not only different, they're not even interbreeding despite overlapping ranges. The bluebottle is uniquely suited to long-distance travel, using its gas-filled float and muscular crest to catch the wind and sail the sea surface.'
The study describes four species: Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus, Physalia megalista and Physalia minuta.
Researchers confirmed the species deviations by comparing their collected man o' wars to more than 4,000 images posted on the citizen-science website iNaturalist, according to the study.
They compared differences in tentacle length, color and other physical characteristics to previous records of man o' wars found around the world, including in centuries-old publications that previously argued the species should be broken up, according to the study.
Physalia minuta is described for the very first time as a new species, according to the study.
The species is 'distinguished from other Physalia by its small size at maturity and colony arrangement with multiple principle tentacles,' researchers said, earning the species its name 'minuta,' meaning small.
The well-known Portuguese man o' war — Physalia physalis — may look like a jellyfish, but it's actually a siphonophore, or a colony of animals that live together to create the complete structure, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The specialized animals are called zooids and are genetically identical but each serve a different function for survival, such as floating, catching prey or reproduction, NOAA says.
Man o' wars use a balloon-like float to move up and down in the water column, according to NOAA, and their tentacles can grow an average of 30 feet long, with some man o' wars reaching as long as 100 feet.
'There's this idea the open oceans all connected, and it's just one species of bluebottle and they're all globally connected because they drift with the wind and the current. But that's absolutely not the case,' Pitt said in the release. 'And what's really interesting in Eastern Australia is that we have multiple species that have evolved despite potentially co-existing.'
Researchers said further studies will be needed to understand why, despite overlapping and being in the same environment, the man o' wars deviated, according to the release.
The research team includes Pitt, Samuel H. Church, River B. Abedon, Namrata Ahuja, Colin J. Anthony, Dalila Destanović, Diego A. Ramirez, Lourdes M. Rojas, Maria E. Albinsson, Itziar Álvarez Trasobares, Reza E. Bergemann, Ozren Bogdanovic, David R. Burdick, Tauana J. Cunha, Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Guillermo D'Elía, Kirstin B. Dion, Thomas K. Doyle, João M. Gonçalves, Alvaro Gonzalez Rajal, Steven H.D. Haddock, Rebecca R. Helm, Diane Le Gouvello, Zachary R. Lewis, Bruno I.M.M. Magalhães, Maciej K. Mańko, C. Gabriela Mayorga-Adame, Alex de Mendoza, Carlos J. Moura, Catriona Munro, Ronel Nel, Kohei Oguchi, Jessica N. Perelman, Laura Prieto, Moninya Roughan, Amandine Schaeffer, Andrea L. Schmidt, Javier Sellanes, Nerida G. Wilson, Gaku Yamamoto, Eric A. Lazo-Wasem, Chris Simon, Mary Beth Decker, Jenn M. Coughlan and Casey W. Dunn.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
7 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Portuguese man o' wars — known for their sting — are actually 4 species. See them
Despite their vibrant blue color and delicate bodies, seeing a Portuguese man o' war along the coast sends beachgoers in the opposite direction. These jellyfish-like animals are known instead for their sting, prompting warnings from wildlife officials when they make their way onto beaches around the world. Now, researchers studying these unique creatures have found that Portuguese man o' wars — also known as bluebottles — may actually belong to at least four distinct species. A research team led by Yale University, in Connecticut, and the University of New South Wales and Griffith University, in Australia, analyzed the genetics of more than 150 bluebottles from around the world to better understand how the widespread species was related to one another, according to a study published June 19 in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology. The team sequenced the genome of each bluebottle, then grouped them together in clusters based on their geographic range in the oceans, according to the study. What they found was distinct genetic differences between groups of man o' wars from different areas, despite some overlap between the populations, according to the study. 'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species,' study author Kylie Pitt said in a June 20 news release from Griffith University. 'But the genetic data clearly show they're not only different, they're not even interbreeding despite overlapping ranges. The bluebottle is uniquely suited to long-distance travel, using its gas-filled float and muscular crest to catch the wind and sail the sea surface.' The study describes four species: Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus, Physalia megalista and Physalia minuta. Researchers confirmed the species deviations by comparing their collected man o' wars to more than 4,000 images posted on the citizen-science website iNaturalist, according to the study. They compared differences in tentacle length, color and other physical characteristics to previous records of man o' wars found around the world, including in centuries-old publications that previously argued the species should be broken up, according to the study. Physalia minuta is described for the very first time as a new species, according to the study. The species is 'distinguished from other Physalia by its small size at maturity and colony arrangement with multiple principle tentacles,' researchers said, earning the species its name 'minuta,' meaning small. The well-known Portuguese man o' war — Physalia physalis — may look like a jellyfish, but it's actually a siphonophore, or a colony of animals that live together to create the complete structure, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The specialized animals are called zooids and are genetically identical but each serve a different function for survival, such as floating, catching prey or reproduction, NOAA says. Man o' wars use a balloon-like float to move up and down in the water column, according to NOAA, and their tentacles can grow an average of 30 feet long, with some man o' wars reaching as long as 100 feet. 'There's this idea the open oceans all connected, and it's just one species of bluebottle and they're all globally connected because they drift with the wind and the current. But that's absolutely not the case,' Pitt said in the release. 'And what's really interesting in Eastern Australia is that we have multiple species that have evolved despite potentially co-existing.' Researchers said further studies will be needed to understand why, despite overlapping and being in the same environment, the man o' wars deviated, according to the release. The research team includes Pitt, Samuel H. Church, River B. Abedon, Namrata Ahuja, Colin J. Anthony, Dalila Destanović, Diego A. Ramirez, Lourdes M. Rojas, Maria E. Albinsson, Itziar Álvarez Trasobares, Reza E. Bergemann, Ozren Bogdanovic, David R. Burdick, Tauana J. Cunha, Alejandro Damian-Serrano, Guillermo D'Elía, Kirstin B. Dion, Thomas K. Doyle, João M. Gonçalves, Alvaro Gonzalez Rajal, Steven H.D. Haddock, Rebecca R. Helm, Diane Le Gouvello, Zachary R. Lewis, Bruno I.M.M. Magalhães, Maciej K. Mańko, C. Gabriela Mayorga-Adame, Alex de Mendoza, Carlos J. Moura, Catriona Munro, Ronel Nel, Kohei Oguchi, Jessica N. Perelman, Laura Prieto, Moninya Roughan, Amandine Schaeffer, Andrea L. Schmidt, Javier Sellanes, Nerida G. Wilson, Gaku Yamamoto, Eric A. Lazo-Wasem, Chris Simon, Mary Beth Decker, Jenn M. Coughlan and Casey W. Dunn.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'Shocking' find could change the way Aussies visit the beach
For 200 years, there has been speculation that swimmers could be tormented by more than one species of bluebottle jellyfish. It turns out there are at least four, including one in Australia that has a 'prominent nose'. 'We were shocked, because we assumed they were all the same species," Griffith University marine ecologist Professor Kylie Pitt said. Until recently, studying these notorious jellyfish has been a challenge because they're hard to keep in captivity, and when they wash up on the beach they disintegrate quickly. Speaking with Yahoo News, Pitt explained the game-changer has been advances in DNA sequencing. 'With our paper, we used the most powerful method, whole genome sequencing, so it's entire DNA has been sampled,' she said. 'By combining the DNA with morphology, we've got the strongest evidence possible for separating out the species.' The discovery is likely to have a direct impact on Aussie swimmers because it could help researchers better understand jellyfish behaviour and predict when they'll swarm towards beaches. Pitt was part of an international research effort by Yale University, University of New South Wales and Griffith University that sequenced the genomes of 151 jellyfish from around the world and published their findings in the journal Current Biology. A key finding of the study that the notorious Portuguese man o' war is only found in the Atlantic and is a completely separate species from Australian bluebottles. 'For a long time, people have said they're much bigger over there and the venom is much more potent,' Pitt said. 'Now we know that the potency of their venom might differ.' Related: 😳 Swimmer's painful encounter with deadly creature on Queensland island The existence of three newly described species, Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus and Physalia megalista, had been proposed in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but the idea was later dismissed. The researchers also identified a fourth species Physalia minuta that had never been described before. 'The one that really stands out is Physalia megalista because it has a really pronounced nose,' Pitt said. It's also believed there are several distinct subpopulations shaped by regional winds and ocean currents. This new knowledge about bluebottles will have a real-world impact for swimmers, as there could be differences with the venom of Australian species too. It will also help support an investigation into jellyfish behaviour that's funded by the Australian Research Council. 🌏 Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land 👙 Tourists oblivious to disturbing scene 500m off sunny Aussie beach 📸 Confronting picture showcases state of Aussie wildlife on world stage Pitt explained a PhD student is working to understand how winds and currents move the bluebottles towards beaches, as well as how they move in the water. 'Bluebottles can actually erect their float or lay it down, depending upon what the wind conditions are. And they can also expand and or extend and contract their tentacles, which might act a little bit like a sea anchor, so there might be a bit more of a drag,' she said. 'Now we know there are at least three species in Australia she may need to look at their behavioural differences.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'Shocking' find after 200-year-old bluebottle jellyfish theory investigated
For 200 years, there has been speculation that swimmers could be tormented by more than one species of bluebottle jellyfish. It turns out there are at least four, including one in Australia that has a 'prominent nose'. Until recently, studying these notorious jellyfish has been a challenge because they're hard to keep in captivity, and when they wash up on the beach they disintegrate quickly. Griffith University marine ecologist Professor Kylie Pitt explained the game-changer has been advances in DNA sequencing. 'With our paper, we used the most powerful method, whole genome sequencing, so it's entire DNA has been sampled,' she said. 'By combining the DNA with morphology, we've got the strongest evidence possible for separating out the species.' Pitt was part of an international research effort by Yale University, University of New South Wales and Griffith University that sequenced the genomes of 151 jellyfish from around the world and published their findings in the journal Current Biology. She describes feeling 'shocked' by the result of the study. A key finding was that the notorious Portuguese man o' war is only found in the Atlantic and is a completely separate species from Australian bluebottles. 'For a long time, people have said they're much bigger over there and the venom is much more potent,' Pitt said. 'Now we know that the potency of their venom might differ.' Related: 😳 Swimmer's painful encounter with deadly creature on Queensland island The existence of three newly described species, Physalia physalis, Physalia utriculus and Physalia megalista, had been proposed in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but the idea was later dismissed. The researchers also identified a fourth species Physalia minuta that had never been described before. 'The one that really stands out is Physalia megalista because it has a really pronounced nose,' Pitt said. It's also believed there are several distinct subpopulations shaped by regional winds and ocean currents. This new knowledge about bluebottles will have a real-world impact for swimmers, as there could be differences with the venom of Australian species too. It will also help support an investigation into jellyfish behaviour that's funded by the Australian Research Council. 🌏 Secret hidden beneath Australia's 'most important' parcel of land 👙 Tourists oblivious to disturbing scene 500m off sunny Aussie beach 📸 Confronting picture showcases state of Aussie wildlife on world stage Pitt explained a PhD student is working to understand how winds and currents move the bluebottles towards beaches, as well as how they move in the water. 'Bluebottles can actually erect their float or lay it down, depending upon what the wind conditions are. And they can also expand and or extend and contract their tentacles, which might act a little bit like a sea anchor, so there might be a bit more of a drag,' she said. 'Now we know there are at least three species in Australia she may need to look at their behavioural differences.' Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
