Jellyfish - Portuguese Man O' War - Bluebottle

Jellyfish supersition invertebrates

Uncover hidden superstitions meanings

The Portuguese Man o' Wars is a deadly jellyfish and can be the size of a bus!

They group together making a massive organism then attack together. They kill people with their tentacles. This jellyfish has been referred to a deadly Jellyfish as on occasion it has killed others. It is a colony in that it is not necessarily a jellyfish but more of hydrozoans. These are clusters of organisms that live together but behave together. Thus, when working together they give out an awful sting. So what does this have to do with superstitions? The Portuguese Man o' War also known as Physaliidae is a negative creature that can be found on beaches around the world - in fact, they are becoming more popular.

As they work in a group, from a spiritual perspective if one sees a Portuguese Man O' War this foretells that one will fall out with others. It was given the name because of the resemblance to a Portuguese ship. Going back to general jellyfish, they are rather unique, they surround many superstitions. With long tentacles these invertebrates they live in water, they consist of the umbrella-shaped bell as well as trailing tentacles which are used for locomotion, and the fish capture their prey using their stinging tentacles. There are many different types of jellyfish. One of the recent deadly jellyfish is known as Portuguese man o' wars as detailed above.

The jellyfish are abundant in all oceans and can live near the water surface or deep in the waters. There are some of the jellyfish species that live in freshwaters, they are said to be among the oldest multi-organ animals to have lived on earth. Jellyfish lack complex body systems and do not have any specialized digestive, nervous, and respiratory, osmoregulatory, or circulatory systems.

The Man o' war sting can be deadly and will result in a deep rash. The jellyfish has also been called a blue bottle jellyfish, also a Portuguese man o'war. This jellyfish has been common in Australia and also in the United Kingdom. They at times, wash up on the beach and even the dead can produce a bad sting. Bluebottles cause a painful sharp sting when one touches them, this pain can last for hours. It can then spread to other parts of the body and also small white bumps will appear. After getting stung one is advised to not rub the area.

The animal should be gently removed from the skin. The anaesthetic should be applied and then seek medical help. It is also important to mention that the tentacles may break away from the body and one needs to be vigilant in the sea. Bluebottles can cause intense pain just from a floating tentacle! They have a unique feeding system in which their mouth is at the tips of a stalk like structure which is better known as the manubrium. The mouth then directs the foods a gastro vascular cavity and this is where the digestion will take place and the uptake of nutrients into the body system will be taking place. The jellyfish have a limited control over their locomotion but the presence of the hydrostatic skeleton makes it possible to move about. The body of the Jellyfish is mainly made of water and the water content is around 95% .There are various superstitions that are attached to the jellyfish especially if one dreams of them. Here are some of the ancient superstitions from the 1930's

  • To be stung by a jellyfish indicates bad luck.
  • To see a Portuguese man o' wars means that one will argue with others.
  • If one touches a Portuguese man o' war then it can suggest death will be upon them
  • If one sees a jellyfish on the beach then a falling out will happen.
  • To step on a jellyfish is a negative omen.
  • To be stung by a jellyfish is a bad omen and foretells a loss of money.

Dreaming of a jellyfish is serious and will mean that you have some hidden hostility as well as some beautiful gifts - which may be overshadowed by a harsh reality. The jellyfish is a reflection of issues which have an allure but that cause one serious pain as one gets much closer to them. In this case a jellyfish could mean that a situation that will worry you - will soon present itself. To see a jellyfish in the sea means you will encounter a serious embarrassment, that leaves you hurt. If you make attempts to get close to them in one's dream then this can mean others will follow your lead.

By Flo Saul
Oct 29, 2012