Marine Species Traits - Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

(of Holothuria physalis Linnaeus, 1758) 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.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors

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Descriptive notes

Taxonomic remark See Pugh (2019) for a recent, comprehensive taxonomic history and synonymy of the species

Taxonomic remark See Pugh (2019) for a recent, comprehensive taxonomic history and synonymy of the species [details]

Distribution mainly (sub)tropical

Distribution mainly (sub)tropical [details]

Taxonomic citation

Schuchert, P.; Choong, H.; Galea, H.; Hoeksema, B.; Lindsay, D.; Manko, M.; Pica, D. (2025). World Hydrozoa Database. Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135479 on 2025-07-15

Taxonomic edit history

Date

action

2004-12-21 15:54:05Z

created

Mapstone, Gill

2006-01-20 13:22:59Z

checked

Mapstone, Gill

2013-12-28 13:28:42Z

changed

Schuchert, Peter

2021-05-28 05:40:56Z

changed

Schuchert, Peter

Licensing

The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License

[taxonomic tree]

Nomenclature

original description (of Physalia pelasgica Bosc, 1802) Bosc, L.A.G. (1802). Histoire Naturelle des Vers : contenant leur description et leurs moeurs, avec figures dessinées d'après nature. Guilleminet, Paris, chez Deterville. 3 vols. 324 pp. + pls. 1-10; 300 pp. + pls. 11-25; 270 pp. + pls. 26-32. 1-324., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41758184
page(s): vol. 2, p. 166 [details]

original description (of Physalia gigantea Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1804) Bory De Saint-Vincent J.B.G.M. (1804). Voyage dans les quatre principales îles des mers d'Afrique : fait par ordre du gouvernement, pendant les années neuf et dix de la République (1801 et 1802), 3 text volumes & 1 plate volume. F. Buisson, Paris. , available online at https://numelyo.bm-lyon.fr/f_view/BML:BML_00GOO0100137001100314462
page(s): vol. 3, page 289 [details]

original description (of Physalia australis Péron, 1807) Péron, F. [& L. Freycinet]. (1807-1816). Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes, exécuté par ordre de sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi,. ... pendant les années 1800. 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804. Paris. I: xv + 496 pp. [1807]; II: xxxi + 471 pp. [1816]; Atlas, 65 pls & maps. , available online at https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44096
page(s): 210 [details]

original description (of Physalis arethusa Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 91 [details]

original description (of Physalis glauca Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 92 [details]

original description (of Physalis lamartinieri Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 99 [details]

original description (of Physalis cornuta Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 104 [details]

original description (of Physalis osbeckii Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 104 [details]

original description (of Physalis afer Tilesius, 1810) Tilesius W.G. (1810). Über die Seeblasen... In Reise um die Welt in den Jahren 1803, 1804, 1805 und 1806 unter dem Commando des Capitains von der Kaiserlichen Marine. A. J. von Krusenstern. Atlas Zool., pl. 23, figs. 1 - 6. 3: 1 - 108.
page(s): 104 [details]

original description (of Arethusa caravella Oken, 1815) Oken, L. (1815-1816). Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte. Dritter Theil: Zoologie. Erste Abtheilung: Fleischlose Thiere,Leipzig: C.H. Reclam & Jena: A. Schmid, [book (3rd vol part one, of 3 vols, including plates atlas of T.1, 1813]. xxviii + 842 pp. + xviii, 40 pls. L [copepods 180-184, 357-359, 4 plates]., available online at https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.166403
page(s): 128 [details]

original description (of Physalis tuberculosa Lamarck, 1816) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1816). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome second, 566 pp. Paris, Verdière. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47698 [details]

original description (of Physalis megalista Lamarck, 1816) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1816). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome second, 566 pp. Paris, Verdière. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47698 [details]

original description (of Physalis elongata Lamarck, 1816) Lamarck, [J.-B. M.] de. (1816). Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertèbres. Tome second, 566 pp. Paris, Verdière. , available online at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47698 [details]

original description (of Holothuria physalis Linnaeus, 1758) 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.]. Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm]. 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 657 [details] Available for editors

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original description (of Physalia pelagica Lamarck, 1801) Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. Published by the author and Deterville, Paris. : viii + 432 pp., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719
page(s): 356 [details]

original description (of Holothuria velificans Osbeck, 1765) Osbeck, P. (1765). Reise nach Ostindien und China. Nebst O. Toreens Reise nach Suratte und C. G. Ekebergs Nachricht von den Landwirthschaft der Chineser. Rostock. i-xxvi + 1-552 + 25-p. index, Pls. 1-13. [German translation by J. G. Georgius. J. C. Koppe]. [details]

Taxonomy

source of synonymy Pugh, P. R. (2019). Two new species of Bargmannia (Pyrostephidae, Physonectae, Siphonophorae). Zootaxa. 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). Zootaxa. 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.

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redescription Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. Discovery Reports. 30: 301-368., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5609085 [details]

Ecology

ecology source Totton, A. K. (1960). Studies on Physalia physalis (L.). Part 1. Natural History and morphology. Discovery Reports. 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. Synopses of the British fauna (new series), 29. E.J. Brill/W. Backhuys: London, UK. ISBN 90-04-07470-8. vi, 154 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]

Other

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. Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B. 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. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas. [details]

additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. China Science Press. 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors

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additional source Cairns, S.D., L. Gershwin, F.J. Brook, P. Pugh, E.W. Dawson, O.V. Ocaña, 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.Sánchez & D.G. Fautin. (2009). Phylum Cnidaria: corals, medusae, hydroids, myxozoans. in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia. :59-101., available online at https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/8431 [details] Available for editors

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biology source Munro, C.; Vue, Z.; Behringer, R. R.; Dunn, C. W. (2019). Morphology and development of the Portuguese man of war, Physalia physalis. Scientific Reports. 9(1)., available online at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51842-1 [details]

Present

Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio

Inaccurate

Introduced: alien

Containing type locality

Nontype YPM 35345, geounit United States Exclusive Economic Zone [details]

From editor or global species database

Original Combination Holothuria physalis Linnaeus, 1758: 657 [details]

Taxonomic remark See Pugh (2019) for a recent, comprehensive taxonomic history and synonymy of the species [details]

Unreviewed

Biology pleustonic [details]

Dimensions horizontal length of whole animal up to 300 mm or more [details]

Distribution mainly (sub)tropical [details]

Habitat pelagic [details]

Definitions

Language	Name
Catalan	fragata portuguesacaravel·la portuguesa	[details]
Dutch	Portugees oorlogsschip	[details]
English	Portuguese man-o-warPortuguese man-of-warPortuguese man o’ warbluebottle	[details]
French	vessie de mergalère portugaise	[details]
German	SeeblasePortugiesische GaleereBlasenqualle	[details]
Italian	caravella portoghese	[details]
Japanese	カツオノエボシ	[details]
Portuguese	Caravela Portuguesa	[details]
Spanish	carabela portuguesabotella azul	[details]

Marine Life Information Network - UK
To Barcode of Life (9 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (160 publications) (from synonym Physalia pelagica Lamarck, 1801)
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) (from synonym Holothuria physalis Linnaeus, 1758)
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

From editor or global species database

Physalia physalis, mouth of Brunswick River, New South Wales, Australia

Physalia physalis

Unreviewed

To Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (YPM IZ 106757)

Hosted externally