Until now, scientists have not been able to determine whether Siphonophores are one species of organism or many types of organisms.

Whales may be the largest animals in the world, but did you know, Siphonophores are said to be the strangest animals in the world.

The reason they are called that is because siphonophores look like jellyfish but belong to the Cnidaria genus – a group of ” hybrid ” animals between corals and jellyfish and are also one of the longest species in the world – about 50m.

Siphonophores have a strange beauty, looking like the flowers of the ocean. This creature has a long, thin, transparent body and resides most in Portuguese waters.

Some other variations of Siphonophores that live in deep, dark waters often have a very special orange or red color.

However, the special thing about Siphonophores that gives scientists a headache is whether they are one organism or many organisms. Because Siphonophores are not a single organism but a collective population of many small individuals, called zooids.

Each Zooids has its own task (such as self-defense, reproduction, eating…) contributing to the whole population but must rely on each other to survive, performing the survival function together.

A special feature is that although all zooids can separate from the population, all individual siphonophores still develop from an independent egg.

…and the Siphonophores subspecies couldn’t be more unique…

1. Apolemia uvaria

Apolemia uvaria is often called the barbed wire jellyfish, living deep at the bottom of the sea. About 3m long, 2-5cm in diameter, this creature also possesses a string of pink and white tentacles clustered together. All tentacles are “hidden” in the front part of the abdomen and will ” unfold” when targeting prey.

When detecting crustaceans or small fish, these tentacles glow and change color continuously to attract opponents. As soon as the prey comes into view, the tentacles will burst open and inject a substance into the body that paralyzes the prey.

Another special thing about this species is that when disturbed, they become irritable by changing color to green or gray-green.

2. Physalia physalis

Physalia physalis is a subspecies of Siphonophores, residing in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

This animal is usually dark green, transparent like cellophane with a small hard sail on top to help catch the wind and move on the sea surface. The average size of Physalia physalis is about 9 – 30cm long, when stretching its body up to 15cm above the water surface.

More specifically, this creature is a carnivore. They hunt plankton with poisonous tentacles. When detecting prey, Physalia physalis will approach and launch its zooids quickly and skillfully, while pulling the prey towards itself. The amount of poison this animal releases is only enough to knock down its prey, not enough to harm us because it cannot pass through the skin.

3. Marrus orthocanna

Marrus orthocanna is a species of tube jellyfish – an animal composed of a complex complex of zooids. Marrus orthocanna usually resides in the waters of the Arctic, Arctic Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, at a depth of 200 – 800m under the sea.

The deepest that experts have discovered for this species is about 2,000m, with a water temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius, it is difficult for light from the water surface to penetrate their habitat.

Marrus orthocanna is 1.8 – 2m long, swimming independently in the vast ocean, its body arranged in a long cylindrical line. One end is a floating buoy that resembles an orange air-filled float bag.

The back part of the body is swimming bells, transparent and red in color. This bell-shaped structure will help Marrus orthocanna move quickly and accurately.

When the bells contract, water is ejected, creating a thrust that helps the jellyfish move further. Smooth coordination will help Marrus orthocanna move forward, backward, left and right easily.