Look What the Wind Blew In

These wind-blown siphonophores, Portuguese Man-of-War or Physalia physalis, were blown ashore during a recent visit to the North Shore.  I collected them and some of their predators in an empty water bottle to observe (and to keep them from stinging beach goers!).  Aren’t they beautiful?

close-up of the Portuguese man-of-war zooids

Portuguese man-of-war nematocysts

our catch of the day

These violet snails eat Portuguese man-of-war

Man-of-war nudibranchs prey upon Portuguese man-of-war