Facebook photos show blue jellyfish look-alike in Myrtle Beach area. Try to not touch.

A blue marine creature made up of several organisms wowed many Facebook users after a photo was posted of one in a Pawleys Island group.

Cindy Wininger shared two photos in Pawleys Island Peeps Monday of the Portuguese man-o’-war, which is easily mistaken as an exotic-looking jellyfish.

Although some people were fascinated by the brights colors of the animal, other people were reminded of the vicious stings they endured years back.

When she was stung in 1975, Facebook user Mary Fairchild recalled saying she still has large scars on her legs.

Weeks said their stings are not deadly but tend to be very painful for most who touch them.

“Fortunately, their bright blue and purple coloring and the balloon-like ‘float’ make them easy to identify and avoid,” she said. “They can sting even after they’re stranded, so we recommend beachgoers avoid them both on land and in the water.”

The “colonial animal” is is similar to both jellyfish and coral, said Erin Weeks, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

The zooids, which she said live and work together “help with digestion, some sting, and some help with movement...”

On occasion, the men-o’-war make their way to South Carolina waters in the colder months as currents pull them away from tropical waters, Weeks added.