General Information

COMMON NAMES: Bluebottle, Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tū-pakipaki-tai (RR), Tutae Tōrā (AT), Kākā (MK MT), Tūtae To‘orā (AK), Pakipaki (TS TW) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Indian Ocean - Pacific Ocean COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Marine, near-shore, pelagic floater SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Poisonous sting - very serious KEY FEATURES: An oval, gas-filled float, to 10cm long, with blue markings. Underneath is a cluster of short tentacles, with a single very long tentacle (to several metres). All tentacles sting for defence or to capture prey. The stinging cells (=cnidoblasts) have a use-once, stinging capsule (=nematocyst) that shoots out a hollow tube to inject toxins. The Bluebottle is a cluster of individuals (=polyps): one forms the float, many form tube-like feeding parts (=gastrozooids), many bud separate male and female medusae (=gonozooids), and one forms the "fishing line" (=dactylozooid). When small fish touch the "fishing line" they are stung and paralysed with poison and the line contacts to bring the victim up so the shorter gastrozooid mouths can get into action. SIMILAR SPECIES: Physalia physalia, the Portuguese Man-o'-war, is mainly an Atlantic species, with a float to 25cm long (vs. 10cm), and numerous contractile "fishing-lines" (vs. a single line).

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++		P	P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

Physalia utriculus (La Martinière, 1787)
SYNONYMS: Physalia physalia [mistakenly]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CNIDARIA (=Coelenterates); HYDROZOA; Siphonophora; PHYSALIIDAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous sting - very serious. Comments: NBSAP - Takitumu (9 of 9 animal pests)

GENERAL NOTE: The "fishing line" has powerful stinging cells which can inflict a very painful sting, and stinging cells can continue to discharge for a long time. TREATMENT: immediately lift off "fishing-line" with clothing, and apply vinegar (3% acetic acid). Removing the thread stops further injections of poison, and the vinegar inhibits stinging-cell activity. DO NOT use methylated spirits, alcohol, human urine or freshwater as these increase the activity of stinging-cells, and vinegar (apparently) increases nematocyst discharge for Physalia physalia. After the initial treatment the injured skin can be treated with ointments, antihistamines or even meat tenderizer (papain). The toxins are proteins, which act on the nervous system. In severe cases, where headaches, nausea, collapse etc occur, seek immediate medical assistance. Deaths have not been substantiated, although the extreme pain, or an extreme reaction to the toxin, may lead to drowning.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: fieldspecimen+photo, Muri beach, 12/2004, Jill Crosby, with ID as Physalia utriculus by G.McCormack.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM05a, zD02

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