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Two dozen Portuguese man-of-wars invade New Jersey beach

Man-of-wars drape stinging tentacles off their gelatinous, floating bodies that can stretch more than 100 feet in length.

By Brooks Hays

SURF CITY, N.J., June 30 (UPI) -- After a warning shot was fired last week, it's clear these jellyfish mean war. It's in their name, after all.

Less than a week after a single Portuguese man-of-war showed up on Jersey sands, a whole brigade of the venomous jellyfish arrived. On Saturday, June 27, two dozen man-of-wars arrived on the beaches of Surf City, New Jersey.

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Saturday's invasion happened roughly 100 miles north of the scout's arrival last week in Harvey Cedars, New Jersey. But the weekend invaders weren't alone. Several more jellyfish were spotted at Island Beach State Park, Ship Bottom and Stone Harbor on Sunday.

Man-of-wars drape stinging tentacles off their gelatinous, floating bodies that can stretch more than 100 feet in length -- though most measure a dozen or so feet.

The toxins released by its tentacles are extremely painful. A sting can cause nausea, difficult breathing and headaches. Though most sting symptoms subside on their own, allergic reactions to the toxins sometimes demand hospitalization.

The jellyfish plotted their invasion in synch with weather, as they can't swim, only drift. A recent storm brought northeasterly winds, which sucks warm water from the Gulf Stream toward shore. Odd (and sometimes dangerous) creatures often arrive along with the influx of warm water.

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"They're pretty uncommon up here, but there are records that go back 100 years of them showing up in this area and Cape Cod," Paul Bologna, director of the Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences Program at Montclair State University, told the Brick Shorebeat. "So they're around, but you need the right combination of the Gulf Stream and coastal winds to bring them to this area."

The man-of-war gets its name from the gas-filled bladder, or pneumatophore, that causes part of its body to float above the ocean's surface -- mimicking the appearance of a man-of-war ship at full sail.

With the 4th of July weekend quickly approaching, Surf City Councilman Peter Hartney is taking the time to warn his constituents about the presence of the jellyfish.

"The tentacles can sting long after the man-of-war dies," Hartney told NJ.com readers. "Notify a badge checker or lifeguard (if you see one). If you're swimming, be aware of where you are -- it's their environment, not ours. Keep your eyes open, pay attention and listen to the lifeguards."

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