The next time you are swimming in warm seas, beware of the Portuguese Man-of-War.  This jellyfish was given this strange name by someone who thought it looked like a Portuguese sailing ship.  To look at this beautiful jellyfish floating on the water, you wouldn't think that below the surface it trails long tentacles of death up to 100 feet long.  These tentacles contain a poison that will kill a fish.  Although this jellyfish won't kill you, it can give you a very painful sting.  Even when the Portuguese Man-of-War is dead and dried up on the sand, the tentacles can still sting.  So if you see one on the beach, don't touch it.

     This strange-looking jellyfish is not one animal but a floating colony of many animals.  Each animal has a different job to do.  Some catch food, some eat, some make new  jellyfish, and some protect the colony from enemies.  The long stringy tentacles act as arms.  They catch and hold food.  Floating on the surface is a thin, hollow bag of many beautiful colors - blue purple or red.  The bag is filled with gas.  That is why it floats on the water.