MARCO ISLAND, Fla. (WFLA) — A extremely venomous blue-colored and balloon-like creature is washing up on a seashore on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
NBC affiliate WBBH mentioned that beachgoers have been shocked to search out a number of Portuguese man o’ wars washed up alongside Marco Island’s South Seaside and close by Sand Greenback Island.
The information station reported that the creatures are sometimes mistaken for jellyfish, however they’re siphonophores— a floating colony of organisms that perform as one.
They’re native to hotter elements of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and usually are not usually discovered within the Gulf.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Fee and the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mentioned the creature’s tentacles attain round 30 toes, and a few have been recorded at greater than 160 toes.
In accordance with NOAA, a sting from a person o’ struggle may cause intense ache, welts, allergic reactions, and, in uncommon circumstances, coronary heart or respiratory issues.
“We have been strolling the island, and the woman mentioned, ‘Hey, that’s a person o’ struggle jellyfish. Don’t step on it.’ After which we ended up seeing like three or 4 of them … Now we have a 4-year-old. And there was one dried up that he stepped on. With sneakers on, clearly, however a bit of scary for a second,” mentioned Matt Swan, who’s visiting from Minnesota.
Man o’ struggle tentacles can nonetheless sting when they’re washed up and dried out.
