This intact deepwater siphonophore was observed during the Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific Marine Protected Areas expedition. Although they may appear to be a single organism, these giant siphonophores are actually comprised of a colony of individual hydrozoans, each specialized for different functions such as swimming, feeding, and reproduction.
Siphonophore
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific MPAs.
This intact deepwater siphonophore was observed during the Discovering the Deep: Exploring Remote Pacific Marine Protected Areas expedition. Although they may appear to be a single organism, these giant siphonophores are actually comprised of a colony of individual hydrozoans, each specialized for different functions such as swimming, feeding, and reproduction. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).
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