Hostname: page-component-766f47fc8c-8dm9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-03T12:17:59.088Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

First documented observation of the Portuguese man-of-war, Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Physaliidae) on the west coast of Algeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2022

Naïma Boughamou Open the ORCID record for Naïma Boughamou [Opens in a new window]  and
Sara Ladoul
Naïma Boughamou*
Affiliation:
Superior National School of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management (ENSSMAL), Dely Brahim University Campus, Bois des Cars, 16320, Algiers, Algeria
Sara Ladoul
Affiliation:
Superior National School of Marine Sciences and Coastal Management (ENSSMAL), Dely Brahim University Campus, Bois des Cars, 16320, Algiers, Algeria
*
Author for correspondence: Naïma Boughamou, E-mail: boughamounaima@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The pleustonic siphonophore Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758) reported in the present study were collected in May 2018 on the north-western coast of Algeria. Two specimens of P. physalis have been observed, photographed and measured for the first time on the Al-Wardania beach, in Aïn Temouchent city. Their size is between 34.8 and 42 cm total length (TL). Morphometrics, meristics and diagnostic characteristics of the species are presented.

Keywords

AlgeriacnidarianhydrozoanMediterranean SeaPhysalia physalisSiphonophorae
Type
Marine Record
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 102 , Issue 6 , September 2022 , pp. 420 - 424
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Araya, JF, Aliaga, JA and Araya, ME (2016) On the distribution of Physalia physalis (Hydrozoa: Physaliidae) in Chile. Marine Biodiversity 46, 731–735.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berdar, A and Cavallaro, G (1980) Celenterati, Ctenofori e Tunicati spiaggiati lungo la costa siciliana dello Stretto di Messina. Memorie di Biologia Marina e di Oceanografia 10, 19–26.Google Scholar
Boero, F (2013) Review of jellyfish blooms in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Studies and Reviews 92, 1–53.Google Scholar
Brotz, L and Pauly, D (2012) Jellyfish populations in the Mediterranean Sea. Acta Adriatica 53, 213–232.Google Scholar
Burnett, JW (2001) Medical aspects of jellyfish envenomation: pathogenesis, case reporting and therapy. Hydrobiology 451, 1–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calleja, C (2009) Jellyfish: The man-of-war was here. https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/jellyfish-the-man-ofwar-was-here.260909 (Accessed 10 July 2016).Google Scholar
Calvo, E, Simó, R, Coma, R, Ribes, M, Pascual, J, Sabatés, A, Gili, JM and Pelejero, C (2011) Effects of climate change on Mediterranean marine ecosystems: the case of the Catalan Sea. Climate Research 50, 1–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castriota, L, Falautano, M, Battaglia, P, Maraventano, G, Prazzi, E, Ammendolia, G and Andaloro, F (2017) First record of Physalia physalis in the Pelagie Islands (Strait of Sicily) and additional records in the Strait of Messina. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 58, 243–246.Google Scholar
Deidun, A (2010) Notes on the recent occurrence of uncommon pelagic “jellyfish” species in Maltese coastal waters. Il Naturalista Siciliano 34, 375–384.Google Scholar
Edwards, L and Hessinger, DA (2000) Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) venom induces calcium influx into cells by permeabilizing plasma membranas. Toxicon 38, 1015–1028.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferrer, L and Pastor, A (2017) The Portuguese man-of-war: gone with the wind. Regional Studies in Marine Science 14, 53–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Focus (2010) Prima vittima di medusa nel Mediterraneo. https://www.focus.it/ambiente/animali/prima-vittima-dimedusa-nel-mediterraneo-12918-71565 (Accessed 10 July 2016).Google Scholar
Gili, JM, Fuentes, V, Atienza, D and Lewinsky, I (2010) Report of the Medusa Project. Tech Rep No. 8. Barcelona: Agencia Catalana de l'Aïgua, Generalitat de Catalunya.Google Scholar
Haddad, V Jr, Virga, R, Bechara, A, Silveira, FLD and Morandini, AC (2013) An outbreak of Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis, Linnaeus, 1758) envenoming in Southeastern Brazil. Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 46, 641–644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirkpatrick, PA and Pugh, PR (1984) Siphonophores and Velellids. Synopses of the British Fauna New Series 29, 1–154.Google Scholar
Lane, CE (1960) The Portuguese man of war. Scientific American 202, 158–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lane, CE and Dodge, E (1958) The toxicity of Physalia nematocysts. Bulletin Marine Biology 115, 219–226.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Linnaeus, C (1758) Systema Naturae per regna tria Naturae, edition 10. London: British Museum (Natural History). 823 pp.Google Scholar
Lopes, AR, Baptista, M, Rosa, IC, Dionisio, G, Gomes-Pereira, J, Paula, JR, Figueiredo, C, Bandarra, N, Calado, R and Rosa, R (2016) Gone with the wind: fatty acid biomarkers and chemotaxonomy of stranded pleustonic hydrozoans (Velella velella and Physalia physalis). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 66, 297–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mapstone, GM (2014) Global diversity and review of Siphonophorae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa). PLoS ONE 9, e87737.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mare Nostrum Italia (2013) Physalia physalis – Caravella Portoghese. https://mareno strum italia.weebly (Accessed 10 July 2016).Google Scholar
Mghili, B, Analla, M and Aksissou, M (2020) First records of the jellyfish Physalia physalis (Linnaeus, 1758) on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Cahiers de Biologie Marine 61, 263–269.Google Scholar
Pierce, J (2006) Aquarium design for the Portuguese man-of-war Physalia physalis. International Zoo Yearbook 40, 221–231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pinsky, ML, Selden, RL and Kitchel, ZJ (2020) Climate-driven shifts in marine species ranges: scaling from organisms to communities. Annual Review of Marine Science 12, 153–197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prieto, L, Macias, D, Peliz, A and Ruiz, J (2015) Portuguese man of war (Physalia physalis) in the Mediterranean: a permanent invasion or a casual appearance? Scientific Reports 5, 11545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tanaka, KR and Van Houtan, KS (2022) The recent normalization of historical marine heat extremes. PLoS Climate 1, e0000007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar