What Is This? Jellyfish Or Portuguese Man o' War Seen In OCMD
OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- A debate is brewing on an Ocean City Facebook group where people are trying to identify the jellyfish-like creature spotted on the beach.
Beachgoer Logan Gruber posted a video of the sea creature.
"Took a walk on the beach tonight and found a blue jellyfish washed up on 6th street," Gruber wrote.
Some are saying it's a blue jellyfish while others say it could be the more painful and possibly deadly Portuguese Man o' War.
According to NOAA, the man o' war is a species of siphonophore that's related too a jellyfish, but its sting is much more painful.
You can recognize a man'o war in the water because of its "balloon-like float."
It's also colored blue, violet or pink unlike jellyfish that are normal clear.
The man o' war also have longer testicles that contain "stinging nematocysts, microscopic capsules loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans,' according to NOAA.
Although its hasn't been known to be deadly to humans, NOAA reports it causes welts on exposed skin.
Officials warn not to touch it if you see one.
What do you think it is?
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