Large Number of Highly , Venomous Man O' War , Wash Up on Florida Beach .<br />'Newsweek' reports that a massive <br />swarm of highly venomous sea creatures <br />has washed ashore on a beach in Florida.<br />An unknown number of Portuguese man o' war were <br />found along the Indialantic Beach in Brevard County, <br />Florida, about 3 miles away from Melbourne Beach.<br />'Newsweek' reports that it is not uncommon to see these <br />blue, alien-like creatures along Florida's coastline, <br />but it is rare to see them wash up in large numbers.<br />'Newsweek' reports that it is not uncommon to see these <br />blue, alien-like creatures along Florida's coastline, <br />but it is rare to see them wash up in large numbers.<br />There were a lot. <br />Every couple of feet you walked <br />there were bunches of five to 10. , Victoria Larkin, Florida resident, via 'Newsweek'.<br />From what my boyfriend <br />and I saw, there had to be at least <br />100. We only walked about 1 mile, <br />however people we talked to said <br />they went on for a lot longer, Victoria Larkin, Florida resident, via 'Newsweek'.<br />Portuguese man o' war are easy to confuse with jellyfish, <br />as they have long strands of tentacles, but they <br />belong to a group of marine animals called siphonophores.<br />Portuguese man o' war are easy to confuse with jellyfish, <br />as they have long strands of tentacles, but they <br />belong to a group of marine animals called siphonophores.<br />These are unusual creatures, <br />as each individual is not <br />technically a single living organism.<br />Siphonophores consist of a colony of genetically<br />identical clones, with each individual member <br />programmed to carry out a specific function.<br />The man o' war's tentacles are armed with <br />microscopic stinging capsules called nematocysts, <br />which are equipped with barbed tubes of venom.<br />'Newsweek' reports that it remains unclear why the <br />creatures washed ashore, but it is likely connected to <br />a recent cold front that passed through the region.
