Species

The Bluebottle is arguably the most well-known sea jelly in Australia, with Surf Life Saving Queensland responding to many cases of stings during summer. Outside Australia, Physalia physalis is called the Portuguese man-of-war and, while the two were thought to have been different species, they are now classified as the same.

Physalia physalis has a specialised float that acts as a sail. Some floats orientate to the left, others to the right, allowing them to sail in different directions. While this species masquerades as a sea jelly it is really a colony of animals. One animal is the float, one makes up the tentacles for defence and catching prey, another is the digestive system and the final animal is responsible for reproduction.

For first aid, see Surf Life Saving Queensland fact sheet.