Over 100 Dead, Highly Venomous Sea Creatures Wash Up on Florida

Swarms of bizarre sea creatures have been washed up on a beach in Florida. According to a report, they were highly venomous.

Portuguese Man o' War Washed Ashore in Florida

Hundreds of alien-like creatures identified as Portuguese man o' war were spotted along Indialantic Beach in Brevard County, Florida, 3 miles away from Melbourne Beach, Newsweek reported. According to the outlet, it's not uncommon to see those sea creatures in the area, but the numbers are unusual. There was too many dead Portuguese man o' war washed ashore.

Florida resident Victoria Larkin spoke with Newsweek and said, "There were a lot." Larkin and her boyfriend were walking on the shore and she remembered seeing five to 10 every couple of feet.

In her estimate, there were at least 100. They only walked about 1 mile, but they spoke to other beachgoers who walked further.

Larkin said it wasn't the first time she saw a Portuguese man o' war on the beach. However, not on such a scale.

She remembered seeing a bigger one and there was only one, not in big groups. She added that they rarely see it growing up.

She added that those they saw on the coastline were definitely dead. Most were sitting where the high tide marks were in little groups and were tangled up.

Larkin said her family took them to the beach frequently growing up and they were informed to never touch those sea creatures due to the venom in their tentacles. It was reportedly drilled into her head.

It's unclear how many Portuguese man o' war have been washed up along the shore, but she speculates that it's likely due to the cold front that affected the region in the previous days. She believed that it kicked up the waves and churned the ocean.

What is a Portuguese Man o' War?

This sea creature is a species of siphonophore, a group of animals closely related to jellyfish. Portuguese man o' war, (Physalia physalis) is often mistaken as a jellyfish. However, National Geographic noted that Portuguese man o' war is not a jellyfish and not an "it" but a "they" because inside is colony of organisms working together to operate.

It has four specialized parts with a specific task each - floating, capturing prey, feeding and reproduction, Ocean Service reported.

They resemble an 18th-century Portuguese warship under full sail that's why they got the name man o' war. They are easily recognizable through their balloon-like float, which may be blue, violet, or pink in color. They rise up to six inches above the waterline, but below the float are strands of tentacles and polyps that can grow up to 10 meters (30 feet) and it could extend up to 30 meters (100 feet).

The tentacles contain stinging nematocysts, which are microscopic capsules containing barbed, coiled tubes that deliver venom and are capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans. Fortunately, the sting of the Portuguese man-of-war is rarely fatal to humans. However, it is still best to avoid them because their sting is extremely painful and causes welts on exposed skin.

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