#siphonofans

Is it just us or did this year feel longer than an Apolemia siphonophore? ⁠ ⁠ 

Members of the genus Apolemia are some of the longest animals on the planet. For decades, there was only one species name that was used for all Apolemia siphonophores. The description of the woolly siphonophore, A. lanosa, and the red-grooved siphonophore, A. rubriversa, by MBARI researchers and our collaborators was a first step toward examining the full diversity of this group of siphonophores.⁠ ⁠ 

Even with the same basic blueprint, the diversity of siphonophores is spectacular. These colonial creatures are made up of specialized segments that work together as one. They may not be familiar to most, but they’re abundant animals in the ocean. Scientists have described some 175 siphonophore species. Most follow a similar body plan—a gas-filled float provides buoyancy, swimming bells propel the colony, and a central stem bears specialized parts for feeding, defense, and reproduction.⁠ ⁠ 

This year MBARI partnered with Google Arts and Culture to showcase some of the most stunning species MBARI and our collaborators have encountered. It’s a must-see if you’re a siphono-fan like we are!