Hydrodynamics of sailing of the Portuguese man-of-war Physalia physalis.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 19091687.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1098/rsif.2008.0457 and PMC identifier 2696138.
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Abstract
Physalia physalis, commonly known as the Portuguese man-of-war (PMW), is a peculiar looking colony of specialized polyps. The most conspicuous members of this colony are the gas-filled sail-like float and the long tentacles, budding asymmetrically beneath the float. This study addresses the sailing of the PMW, and, in particular, the hydrodynamics of its trailing tentacles, the interaction between the tentacles and the float and the actual sailing performance. This paper attempts to provide answers for two of the many open questions concerning P. physalis: why does it need a sail? and how does it harness the sail?
Medical subject headings
- Extremities
- Hydrozoa
- Locomotion
- Models, Theoretical