#hydroidolina

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

siphonophores!

Have you seen a siphonophore (Order: Siphonophorae)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onJul 11

The first species pictured is the Hula Skirt Siphonophore, the second is a Southern Man-o-War. This order includes 194 species so far. These animals operate in colonies with each member performing a function (or functions) for the whole, including things like reproduction, digestion, floatation, etc.

[animalids]

Giant bell jelly (Scrippsia pacifica)

Photo by David R. Andrew

[animalids]

Ringed tubularia (Ectopleura larynx)

Photo by Alexander Semenov

[pokemonblack2white2nintndods2k12]

♡!

[astronomy-to-zoology]

Snowdrop Hydroid (Gattya humilis)

...a delicate species of colonial Halopterdid hydroid which is endemic to an area off the south African coast, ranging from Northern Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal. Snowdrop hydroids typically occur from the littoral zone to ~70 m (230 ft) under water, where they are usually found growing on coralline algae or weed. 

Classification

Animalia-Cnidaria-Hydrozoa-Hydroidolina-Leptothecata-Plumularoioidea-Halopterididae-Gattya-G. humilis

Image: Seascapeza

[astronomy-to-zoology]

Noble 'Coral' (Stylaster nobilis) 

...a species of colonial Stylasterid hydroid which is endemic to the South African coast from the Atlantic Coast of the Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth. Like the unrelated hard corals, noble corals colonies are predatory ans will feed on a variety of plankton which are dispatched by stinging nematocytes.

Classification

Animalia-Cnidaria-Hydrozoa-Hydroidolina-Anthoathecata-Filifera-Stylasteridae-Stylaster-S. nobilis

Image(s): Peter Southwood