Overview

• An international team from Yale, UNSW and Griffith University sequenced genomes of 151 Physalia specimens and matched them to thousands of iNaturalist images to delineate four bluebottle species.
• The study published June 19 in Current Biology identifies Physalia physalis, P. utriculus, P. megalista and a newly described Physalia minuta found near Australia and New Zealand.
• Genetic analysis revealed reproductive isolation among lineages, overturning the long-held view of a single, well-mixed Portuguese man o’ war population.
• The discovery opens new avenues for research into species-specific venom potency and ecological roles across ocean regions.
• UNSW alongside partners is developing forecasting tools to predict beach strandings and help reduce bluebottle sting incidents.