By the Wind Sailors

This trip to the shore there were more mature examples of these guys washed up on the beach - not nearly so many, but much bigger

comments (3)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

I still don't fully understand what they are, can you elaborate a little? Posted 9 years ago
1. morpheme
  
  Lion
  
  They are jelllyfish, but rather than floating around in the water they form large colonies that float about on the top. They have very small tentacles that hang down from their undersides to catch plankton. Technically they do sting, but the tentacles are so small that people are unlikely to notice them. The little sail on the top catches the wind and takes them wherever it blows them - normally that's out on the open ocean, but sometimes storms bring colonies ashore. Apparently there are left and right hand sails - which carries them in opposite directions. All of the creatures that wash up on beaches on each side of the Pacific Ocean will be of one sail type. Posted 9 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks so much for explaining, it makes sense now :) Posted 9 years ago

The Velella velella

''Velella'' is a cosmopolitan genus of free-floating hydrozoans that live on the surface of the open ocean. There is only one known species, ''Velella velella'', in the genus. ''Velella velella'' is commonly known by the names sea raft, by-the-wind sailor, purple sail, little sail, or simply ''Velella''.

These small cnidarians are part of a specialised ocean surface community that includes the better-known cnidarian siphonophore, the Portuguese man o' war. Specialized predatory gastropod.. more

Info 3 0

Similar species: Anthomedusae

Species identified by morpheme

By morpheme

Uploaded Apr 3, 2016. Captured Apr 2, 2016 13:25 in Westport Light Trail, Westport, WA 98595, USA.

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