What is the technical classification of the Portuguese Man o' War, often mistaken for a jellyfish?

Answer

Siphonophores

Although commonly mistaken for jellyfish due to their appearance and painful stings, the Portuguese Man o' War is technically classified as a siphonophore. Siphonophores are colonial organisms composed of specialized individual zooids that function together as one entity. The text highlights this distinction, noting that the venomous capabilities stem from specialized stinging cells called nematocysts located on their tentacles.

What is the technical classification of the Portuguese Man o' War, often mistaken for a jellyfish?

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