URMO taxon details
Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758)
135479 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:135479)
accepted
Species
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
recent only
(of ) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors
Distribution mainly (sub)tropical
Distribution mainly (sub)tropical [details]
Schuchert, P.; Choong, H.; Galea, H.; Hoeksema, B.; Lindsay, D.; Manko, M.; Pica, D. (2025). World Hydrozoa Database. Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: Land J. van der (ed). (2008) UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO) at: https://www.marinespecies.org/urmo/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135479 on 2025-05-03
Land J. van der (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO). Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/urmo/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135479 on 2025-05-03
Date
action
by
original description
(of ) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors
context source (RAS) Australian Antarctic Data Centre. , available online at https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/biodiversity/ [details]
context source (Bermuda) Totton, A. K. 1936. Plankton of the Bermuda Oceanographic Expeditions. VII. Siphonophora taken during the year 1931. Zoologica (N. Y.) 21 (4): 231-240. , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51096617 [details]
context source (Hexacorallia) Fautin, Daphne G. (2013). Hexacorallians of the World. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Calder, D. (2003). Checklist of Hydroids, hydromedusae and siphonophores reported from the Bay of Fundy. [details]
additional source Linkletter, L. E. (1977). A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. <em>Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B.</em> 68: p. [details]
additional source Pollock, L.W. (1998). A practical guide to the marine animals of northeastern North America. Rutgers University Press. New Brunswick, New Jersey & London. 367 pp., available online at http://books.google.com/books?id=i1AmT31cuR4C [details]
additional source Pugh, P. R. & Gasca, R. (2009). Siphonophorae (Cnidaria) of the Gulf of Mexico. Pp. 395�402. In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico�Origins, Waters, and Biota. <em>Biodiversity.</em> Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Cairns, S.D., L. Gershwin, F.J. Brook, P. Pugh, E.W. Dawson, O.V. Oca�a, W. Vervoort, G. Williams, J.E. Watson, D.M. Opresko, P. Schuchert, P.M. Hine, D.P. Gordon, H.I. Campbell, A.J. Wright, J.A.S�nchez & D.G. Fautin. (2009). Phylum Cnidaria: corals, medusae, hydroids, myxozoans. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> :59-101., available online at https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/8431 [details] Available for editors
source of synonymy Pugh, P. R. (2019). Two new species of <em>Bargmannia</em> (Pyrostephidae, Physonectae, Siphonophorae). <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4686(1): 74-82., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4686.1.3
page(s): 85 [details]
source of synonymy Pugh, P. R. (2019). A history of the sub-order Cystonectae (Hydrozoa: Siphonophorae). <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4669(1): 1-91., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4669.1.1
page(s): 74; note: taxonomic history, synonymy
opinion: In this paper we only recognise one species of the family Physaliidae, i.e. Physalia physalis. Although there is, presently, a push by mainly Australian and ...
[details] Available for editors
redescription Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. <em>Discovery Reports.</em> 30: 301-368., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5609085 [details]
ecology source Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. <em>Discovery Reports.</em> 30: 301-368., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5609085 [details]
ecology source Kirkpatrick, P.A.; Pugh, P.R. (1984). Siphonophores and velellids: keys and notes for the identification of the species. <i>Synopses of the British fauna (new series)</i>, 29. E.J. Brill/W. Backhuys: London, UK. ISBN 90-04-07470-8. vi, 154 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
biology source Munro, C.; Vue, Z.; Behringer, R. R.; Dunn, C. W. (2019). Morphology and development of the Portuguese man of war, Physalia physalis. <em>Scientific Reports.</em> 9(1)., available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51842-1 [details]
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors
context source (RAS) Australian Antarctic Data Centre. , available online at https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/biodiversity/ [details]
context source (Bermuda) Totton, A. K. 1936. Plankton of the Bermuda Oceanographic Expeditions. VII. Siphonophora taken during the year 1931. Zoologica (N. Y.) 21 (4): 231-240. , available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/51096617 [details]
context source (Hexacorallia) Fautin, Daphne G. (2013). Hexacorallians of the World. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source Calder, D. (2003). Checklist of Hydroids, hydromedusae and siphonophores reported from the Bay of Fundy. [details]
additional source Linkletter, L. E. (1977). A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. <em>Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B.</em> 68: p. [details]
additional source Pollock, L.W. (1998). A practical guide to the marine animals of northeastern North America. Rutgers University Press. New Brunswick, New Jersey & London. 367 pp., available online at http://books.google.com/books?id=i1AmT31cuR4C [details]
additional source Pugh, P. R. & Gasca, R. (2009). Siphonophorae (Cnidaria) of the Gulf of Mexico. Pp. 395�402. In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico�Origins, Waters, and Biota. <em>Biodiversity.</em> Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
additional source Cairns, S.D., L. Gershwin, F.J. Brook, P. Pugh, E.W. Dawson, O.V. Oca�a, W. Vervoort, G. Williams, J.E. Watson, D.M. Opresko, P. Schuchert, P.M. Hine, D.P. Gordon, H.I. Campbell, A.J. Wright, J.A.S�nchez & D.G. Fautin. (2009). Phylum Cnidaria: corals, medusae, hydroids, myxozoans. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> :59-101., available online at https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/8431 [details] Available for editors
source of synonymy Pugh, P. R. (2019). Two new species of <em>Bargmannia</em> (Pyrostephidae, Physonectae, Siphonophorae). <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4686(1): 74-82., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4686.1.3
page(s): 85 [details]
source of synonymy Pugh, P. R. (2019). A history of the sub-order Cystonectae (Hydrozoa: Siphonophorae). <em>Zootaxa.</em> 4669(1): 1-91., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4669.1.1
page(s): 74; note: taxonomic history, synonymy
opinion: In this paper we only recognise one species of the family Physaliidae, i.e. Physalia physalis. Although there is, presently, a push by mainly Australian and ...
taxonomic history, synonymy
opinion: In this paper we only recognise one species of the family Physaliidae, i.e. Physalia physalis. Although there is, presently, a push by mainly Australian and New Zealand workers to establish several more species they would need to establish definite morphological differences from P. physalis and, indeed, any of the c. 50 synonyms (see Appendix) that cannot be accounted for by changes occurring during the various stages of development of the species.
opinion: In this paper we only recognise one species of the family Physaliidae, i.e. Physalia physalis. Although there is, presently, a push by mainly Australian and New Zealand workers to establish several more species they would need to establish definite morphological differences from P. physalis and, indeed, any of the c. 50 synonyms (see Appendix) that cannot be accounted for by changes occurring during the various stages of development of the species.
redescription Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. <em>Discovery Reports.</em> 30: 301-368., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5609085 [details]
ecology source Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. <em>Discovery Reports.</em> 30: 301-368., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5609085 [details]
ecology source Kirkpatrick, P.A.; Pugh, P.R. (1984). Siphonophores and velellids: keys and notes for the identification of the species. <i>Synopses of the British fauna (new series)</i>, 29. E.J. Brill/W. Backhuys: London, UK. ISBN 90-04-07470-8. vi, 154 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
biology source Munro, C.; Vue, Z.; Behringer, R. R.; Dunn, C. W. (2019). Morphology and development of the Portuguese man of war, Physalia physalis. <em>Scientific Reports.</em> 9(1)., available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51842-1 [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| English | Portuguese man-of-war | [details] |
Marine Life Information Network - UK
To Barcode of Life (9 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (43 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Physalia physalis)
To GenBank (16 nucleotides; 33 proteins)
To PESI
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Cnidaria Collection (41 records)
To Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM IZ 106757)
To ITIS
To Barcode of Life (9 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (43 publications)
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Physalia physalis)
To GenBank (16 nucleotides; 33 proteins)
To PESI
To USNM Invertebrate Zoology Cnidaria Collection (41 records)
To Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM IZ 106757)
To ITIS
