The animal which is popularly known as 'Portuguese man of war' is?

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2016

Explanation

Physalia is the scientific name for the marine animal commonly known as the Portuguese man-of-war.
It is not a single jellyfish but a siphonophore, which is a colony of specialized, interdependent organisms (zooids).
It is characterized by a gas-filled, balloon-like float (pneumatophore) that sits above the water and long, venomous tentacles that hang below.

Option A: Fasciola is a genus of parasitic flatworms, commonly known as liver flukes. It belongs to the phylum Platyhelminthes and is completely unrelated to jellyfish or hydrozoans.
Option C: Obelia is a genus of colonial hydrozoans. While it is in the same phylum as Physalia (Cnidaria), it typically forms small, branching, sessile (attached) colonies and does not have the large, floating structure of the Portuguese man-of-war.
Option D: Aurelia is the genus for the moon jelly, a common type of true jellyfish (class Scyphozoa). Unlike the colonial Physalia, Aurelia is a single organism and has a different body structure.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Zoological classification and common names of marine invertebrates as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be able to advise on and provide first aid for stings from marine animals like the Portuguese man-of-war, as they are common in coastal areas.
Key nursing actions include immediate rinsing with seawater (not freshwater, which can trigger more venom release), careful removal of tentacles, and application of heat.
Crucially, nurses must monitor for signs of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis (e.g., difficulty breathing, swelling of the face/lips, widespread rash, hypotension), which is a medical emergency.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key phrase in the question: 'Portuguese man of war'.
Recognize this as a factual recall question that links a common name to a scientific name.
Systematically review the options, recalling or deducing the identity of each genus.
Eliminate Fasciola as it is a parasitic fluke (flatworm).
Differentiate between the cnidarians: Aurelia (true jellyfish), Obelia (sessile hydrozoan), and Physalia (floating siphonophore).
Match 'Portuguese man of war' to Physalia.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Zoological classification and common names of marine invertebrates.
Stem keywords: animal, popularly known, Portuguese man of war
Lead-in keywords: is

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 2220-2222

Practise the full KPSC Staff Nurse - 2016

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.