May 11, 2009 — Portuguese Man-of-War jellyfish have been sited at the east end of St. Croix, and Department of Planning and Natural Resources is urging the public to avoid them.
According to a warning issued by the department, the dangerous sea creatures have been sighted in Robin and Great Pond bays, both in the water and on the shore.
The Man-of-War is pink or purple, with many long, stinging tentacles. The tentacles can remain highly toxic and produce a sting even after they wash ashore. For that reason, DPNR warns, tentacles should be avoided if the Portuguese Man-of-War is encountered either in the water or on land.
The sting from a Man-of-War can be extremely painful. DPNR advises that if stung, the affected area should be rinsed thoroughly with seawater, because fresh water will set off more stinging cells, or household vinegar.
Anyone who is stung and experiences a serious reaction should seek immediate medical attention, DPNR's release added.
According to the National Geographic's website, the man-of-war is not technically a jelly fish at all, or even an "it." A man-of-war is a "they," a siphonophore, an animal made up of a colony of organisms working together.
?The man-of-war comprises four separate polyps. It gets its name from the uppermost polyp, a gas-filled bladder, or pneumatophore, which sits above the water and somewhat resembles an old warship at full sail," according to National Geographic.
