amazingly beautiful creation of nature - the Portuguese ship (Physalia) - is just as dangerous as attractive.To avoid burns, to admire them better at a distance.
And enjoy, you might say, has something: over the surface of the water gently shimmers silver and blue, purple and magenta "sail", similar to those that adorned the medieval court.Its top, a comb, bright red, and the lower part, which runs long, sometimes up to 30 meters, catching tentacles, blue.
Portuguese ship - jellyfish or not?
must say that, although this being a close relative of jellyfish, but to those still not the case.Portuguese ship - it siphonophores primitive invertebrates.It represents a colony of four kinds of polyps, coexisting together.Each of them performs its function.
Through the first polyp - a gas bubble, the beauty of which we admire, Portuguese ship afloat and can drift in the ocean.
One more polyps daktilozoidy - is catching tentacles across the vast length of which are located stinging cells injected poison into prey.Small fry, fry, crustaceans him die immediately, but in larger paralysis.Incidentally, even in dried form tentacles Portuguese boat are very dangerous to humans.
Thanks Trappers tentacles to catch prey is dragged to the third type of polyps - gastrozoidam that digest food by breaking down proteins, carbohydrates and fats.A fourth type - gonozoidy - the function of reproduction.
Amazing flotilla
Portuguese ship can be moved only by river or wind.In the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans can meet a fleet of similar fancy inflatable toys Physalia.
But sometimes they "blow off" their bubbles and immersed in water to avoid danger.And they have to fear anyone in spite of the toxicity, ships are coveted prey for some species.For example, sea turtles (loggerhead turtle Golovataya), sunfish or shellfish (nudibranch, yantina) can greatly thinned the ranks of "sailing".
But fish cowherd lives among long tentacles Physalia as a boarder.The poison in the fish that does not work, but protects against numerous enemies, and the shepherd eats the remains of the patron saint of mining and dead tips daktilozoidov.
«Medusa» Portuguese ship dangerous as a cobra!
Ship particularly dangerous for children and the elderly, as well as for those who suffer allergic reactions.At the site of the burn is formed painful swelling, muscle cramps can begin.The victim fever, there are chills, nausea and vomiting.
Do not wash the place of destruction of fresh water, it will only increase the pain.But vinegar can neutralize the poison Physalia.Therefore, they are treated burns, pre scrape the skin to remove the remnants of stinging cells.
But best of all, seeing from afar flotilla glamorous "sailing" as soon as possible to leave the water, admiring them from afar.Alas, this beauty - burning!
