Hordes of highly venomous sea creatures are washing up on Texas beaches, prompting warnings from authorities along the coast.
The creature, called Portuguese man o’ war, resembles a jellyfish but is actually a siphonophore, an animal made up of a colony of organisms that work together. They are colorful and even beautiful, with balloon-like floats in shades of blue, violet or pink.
But beware: Their sting packs an excruciatingly painful punch, sometimes requiring medical attention. In rare cases, the stings are even fatal.
“If you have ever been stung by the tentacles of these siphonophores, then you know what we are talking about,” the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, which is part of Texas A&M University, warned Wednesday on Facebook. “On a pain scale from 1 to 10, these rank at about a 9.”
Jace Tunnell, the institute’s engagement director, is seen in photographs pointing out the small creatures, which have appeared in hordes on North Padre Island and Mustang Island between Corpus Christi and Port Aransas. In November, officials in Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island warned of an infestation.
The creatures have also been spotted en masse in Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina in recent weeks. Floating in warm oceans around the world, they tend to wash up on beaches because they have no independent means of propulsion. They drift with the wind or ocean currents.
In the ocean, their floats rise up to six inches above the waterline, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They get their name because they are said to resemble old warships at full sail, writes National Geographic.
Lurking below their floats are long strands of tentacles and polyps that grow to an average of 30 feet and can extend up to 100 feet. The tentacles contain stinging nematocysts, microscopic capsules that can deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans. Even a dead man o’ war washed ashore for days can deliver a sting.
“While the man o’ war’s sting is rarely deadly to people,” says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “it packs a painful punch and causes welts on exposed skin.”
Authorities say dousing the sting with vinegar and warm water can help alleviate pain. If you have trouble breathing, call 911.