Bluebottles Are Beautiful to Look at, But Deadly to Touch — They’re Also Four Different Species
The Portuguese appearance of the Portuguese War man, similar to an extraterrestrial, can invite a more in -depth look. But beware! Their long and dragging tentacles have a painful and sometimes dangerous bite. Often, they wash on the ground, tempting curious children to prick them with sticks. Other times, they float just below the surface, encouraging surfers to remain vigilant for tranquilitions in the shape of a jellyfish.
But these notorious drivers are not the same. A new study published in Current biology Through scientists from the University of Yale, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Griffith University in Australia reveals that the man of the war discovered on the Florida coast is not the same as those seen off the East Australia.
While the oceans are connected and many marine species have global ranges, the Portuguese war (often called “Bluebottles”) has adapted to different regions. Recognizing these distinctions could help us better predict their presence and protect people from their poisonous bite.
Bluebottles in the sea
What looks like a serene and unique jellyfish floating in the immensity of the sea is in fact a colony of specialized individuals called polyps. Belonging to the order of siphonophore and known taxomically as PhysaliaThese polyps work together as a single unit.
Their ball -shaped float keeps them on the surface, drifting with the wind using a small sail. This form inspired their names: “Bluebottle” for the appearance in the shape of a bottle of the float and “Portuguese Man O ‘War” for its resemblance to an old warship. Under the surface, hide the tentacles which can stretch up to 100 feet, filled with venom, trap and paralyze the small fish and sometimes harm humans.
Man’s wars are found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indians’ oceans. In areas where they are common, the inhabitants know how to avoid. Contact with their tentacles can cause intense pain, allergic reactions and in rare cases, even death. This is why the researchers of the UNSW decided to study their genetics, helping to prevent human encounters.
Find out more: This predatory jellyfish lived even before the plants evolved
Merger of genetics and citizen sciences
The team sequenced the genomes of 151 Physalia Samples and compared them to thousands of images subjected by citizen scientists on Inaturalist.org. The result: four genetically distinct species – Physalia Physalis,, P. Utriculus,, P. MegalistaAnd P. minuta.
“We assumed that they were all of the same species,” said Kylie Pitt, co-author of the study and the professor of the University of Griffith press release. “But the genetic data clearly show that it is not only different, it is not even crossing despite the ranges of overlap. The Bluebottle is only suitable for long distance trips, using its float and its muscle crest filled with gas to catch the wind and navigate the surface of the sea.”
These differences had been proposed from the 18th and 19th centuries depending on appearance, but it is only now that modern genetic analysis has confirmed it.
Why did Bluebottle divided into distinct species?
Although they live in the open and connected ocean, the Bluebottles have evolved into genetically distinct groups. “There is this idea that the ocean is all linked … and they are all connected on a global scale because they derive with the wind and the current,” added Pitt in the press release. “But this is absolutely not the case.”
Using ocean circulation models, researchers have shown that these populations align themselves with the main wind and current systems. Even if they travel well, thanks to their tanks filled with gas and their ridges that go wind, there are still barriers that limit the crossing.
What is particularly intriguing is that several species coexist off the east Australia. “What was the selection pressure that led to differentiation?” Pitt noted. Responding to this could reshape the way we understand biodiversity at sea.
This research was supported by a liaison subsidy of the 2022 Australian research council awarded to UNSW for the project Bluebottle Dynamics. The goal? To develop a forecasting tool with Surf Life Saving Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology and others, to help predict and prevent pain of painful blue bottles.
Find out more: SNOT poisonous helps these jellyfish bites without their tentacles
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Having worked as a biomedical research assistant in laboratories in three countries, Jenny excels in translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the last nutritions – into accessible and engaging content. His interests extend to subjects such as human evolution, psychology and stories of eccentric animals. When it is not immersed in a popular scientific book, you will find it to catch waves or sail on the island of Vancouver on its longboard.
