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Physalia physalis, Portuguese man-of-war
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Physalia physalis, Portuguese man-of-war
Ff. 38 Vol 3. Watercolour painting by Sydney Parkinson made during Captain James Cooks first voyage to explore the southern continent 1768-1771
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Media ID 8618163
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10706830
18th Century Adventure Captain James Cook Cnidaria Cnidarian Coelenterata Coelenterate Cook Discovery Exploration Hydrozoa Hydrozoan Jelly Jelly Fish Jellyfish Leptolida Leptolina Leptolinae Man Of War Medusa Jellyfish Medusozoa Physaliidae Invertebrata
EDITORS COMMENTS
This stunning watercolor painting by Sydney Parkinson captures the intrigue and mystery of the Physalia physalis, or Portuguese man-of-war, during Captain James Cook's first voyage to explore the southern continent from 1768 to 1771. Cook and his crew encountered this fascinating invertebrate in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and Parkinson's illustration provides a vivid record of their discovery. The Portuguese man-of-war is not actually a true jellyfish, but rather a colonial hydrozoan, consisting of a floating colony of polyps that function as a single organism. The large, translucent sail-like structures, known as floats, propel the colony through the water, while the tentacles, which can reach up to 30 feet in length, trail beneath. These tentacles are lined with stinging cells, or nematocysts, which the man-of-war uses to capture and immobilize prey. This painting is a testament to the incredible biodiversity that Cook and his crew encountered on their expedition. The man-of-war, with its striking appearance and deadly sting, would have been a fascinating and daunting sight for the sailors of the HMS Endeavour. The painting also showcases the remarkable talent of Sydney Parkinson, who was Cook's official artist on the voyage. His detailed and accurate illustrations of the flora and fauna they encountered were invaluable in documenting the discoveries of the expedition. As a member of the class Cnidaria, the Portuguese man-of-war is related to other coelenterates such as corals, sea anemones, and true jellyfish. The man-of-war belongs to the order Physaliidae, and is also known as the blue bottle or the Portuguese man-o'-war. Despite its intimidating appearance, the Portuguese man-of-war plays an important role in the marine ecosystem as a predator and scavenger, and its stinging tentacles can provide a valuable defense against other marine organisms.
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