The Zapper!
By: Aastha Shukla
Introduction
Picture, stingers that can even sting when they are dead! These fascinating creatures are called Portuguese Man of War! Portuguese Man of War is a type of organism that lives in the sea with tentacles that sting painfully. Did you imagine that they have no gender?
Moving through the Ocean
Movement is an essential part of these creature’s lives because that is how they get from place to place. You will be shocked to learn that Portuguese Man of War float in groups of 1,000 or more. These animals move with the help of a balloon-like float. Inside this float are gases from the surrounding air. Plus, the organism looks like war ships of old with a sail. It’s also true that on the back of the Portuguese Man of War, there is a ridge ( which gives it its name), and acts like a sail which gives it the ability to move. Finally, they can deflate or inflate their float by increasing the amount of carbon monoxide, this helps them be underwater for a little while.
Munch! Munch!
The small fish is swimming by happily, then Zap! The Portuguese Man of War paralyzed the little animal instantly! This Portuguese organism feeds on many different, small things for its diet thanks to its tentacles. Diet is required so that this creature could survive. Let me explain what this intriguing, aquatic animal eats! They eat soft bodied prey, such as shrimp, marine plankton, fish larvae, cephalopods, eel larvae, and more small underwater inhabitants. Physalis are not able to catch hard-bodied animals because of the structure of their nematocysts. It is interesting to note that flying fish and mackerel could escape the tentacles of this water organism.
How do they look like?
Draw a picture in your mind of a creature that could extend its tentacles 165ft long, while floating so easily in the ocean! Can you believe that? Physalis have an unusual body structure and appearance which helps face things throughout their lives such as their tentacles. These stingers are compared to a 6ft (2m) man! This happens because of their body parts, such as their crest and the float which help them float ( the float is, 3 to 12 in. or 9-30 cm). Next, on the bottom of the float is the cluster of polyps which contain three different types of polyps. This part is important because they help function the body. Finally, below all the other body parts are the extending tentacles. The translucent colors of this mythical floater, are purple, blue, pink, and mauve shades.
Closing
As you can see, these jelly-like Physalis are so fascinating that you can’t take your eyes off them! There were fossil records of this organism 600 years back! Create an image of all the things that I informed you about these striking creatures; the way they move, their food, the way they Zap! at their prey, and finally the unusual look and Anatomy of these animals.
Comic
Word Wall
GO FISH!
In Go Fish! I chose 3 types of fish. First, I chose one Dwarf Gourami, it has blue, red, and orange on its body. It is 3 inches long! Next, I chose the 1.5 inch Cherry Barb, with bright red, and magnificent brown. Finally, I picked one 1.75 inch Goldfish with striking, bright orange. To buy all of these fascinating fish, I spent $6.05. A 20-gallon tank could fit all these fish. My theme includes a majestic castle, for these organisms to hide in. Bright, green, glow in the dark gravel will be placed on the bottom of this tank. Also, I got a blue stone bridge. Finally, I got rock Garden coral and petco plants. As you can see, In Go Fish! I had a lot of fun building my imaginary aquarium.
Diorama
Address Poem
Oh, Portuguese Man of War,
You have such a striking sting,
Your tentacles are 165 ft long!
But, I have a question,
Where do you live?
Do you live in the trees?
The desert?
Or the rainforest?
Wait, I got it,
You live in the warm,
Tropical waters!