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By-The-Wind Sailor

Velella velella

The by-the-wind sailor is the less harmful relative to one of the most well known siphonophores in the world, the Portuguese man o’war. Both jellies are dependent on the elements to bring them to food. The by-the-wind sailor with its blue tint and small sail traverses through the open ocean in search of food with only the wind as its form of movement. Traveling in colonies of hundreds, they feed off the surface of the ocean.

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SPECIES IN DETAIL

By-The-Wind Sailor

Velella velella

CONSERVATION STATUS:

CLIMATE CHANGE:

Geographic Distribution

The by-the-wind sailors are distributed throughout temperate and tropic waters, mainly in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Habitat

The by-the-wind sailor lives out in the open ocean with their sails protruding out of the surface water and their main body right under the ocean’s surface. This species inhabits the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Physical Characteristics

The stand out features of the by-the-wind sailor are the bright blue color of the siphonophore and the sail that determines where these jellies will go throughout the open ocean.

Size

This jelly grows to 8 centimeters (3.15 inches).

Diet

The by-the-wind sailors are carnivores and feed on microorganisms and small fish. They obtain this food by using their stinging cells (nematocyst) which float right under the ocean’s surface.

Reproduction

By-the-wind sailors, like many other siphonophores, are hermaphroditic which means they has both female and male reproductive organs.

Behavior

By-the-wind sailors’ can be seen sailing the top of the open ocean, mainly in colonies, when a wind picks up.

Adaptation

The most unique adaptation of the by-the-wind sailor is its sail. It uses its sail across the top of the water to find food. Algae that lives on the jelly has a symbiotic relationship with it to harvest the sun’s energy.

Longevity

The longevity of the by-the-wind sailor is not yet known because of their vulnerability to the elements. Dependent on wind and ocean conditions, there is no measurement of their full life span that hasn’t been affected by these conditions.

Conservation

Conservation of this species is dependent on the cleanliness of the oceans. Surface oils and gas that might be leaked into the ocean can destroy the whole body system of these siphonophores.

Special Notes

These are one of the few siphonophores species, like the moon jellies, that cannot harm humans with its nematocyst (stinging cell).

The by-the-wind sailors can be right or left sailed, meaning that the sail on top of the siphonophore is pointing in the opposite diagonal as the other side.

SPECIES IN DETAIL | Print full entry

By-The-Wind Sailor

Velella velella

CONSERVATION STATUS:

CLIMATE CHANGE:

The by-the-wind sailors are distributed throughout temperate and tropic waters, mainly in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The by-the-wind sailor lives out in the open ocean with their sails protruding out of the surface water and their main body right under the ocean’s surface. This species inhabits the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The stand out features of the by-the-wind sailor are the bright blue color of the siphonophore and the sail that determines where these jellies will go throughout the open ocean.

This jelly grows to 8 centimeters (3.15 inches).

The by-the-wind sailors are carnivores and feed on microorganisms and small fish. They obtain this food by using their stinging cells (nematocyst) which float right under the ocean’s surface.

By-the-wind sailors, like many other siphonophores, are hermaphroditic which means they has both female and male reproductive organs.

By-the-wind sailors’ can be seen sailing the top of the open ocean, mainly in colonies, when a wind picks up.

The most unique adaptation of the by-the-wind sailor is its sail. It uses its sail across the top of the water to find food. Algae that lives on the jelly has a symbiotic relationship with it to harvest the sun’s energy.

The longevity of the by-the-wind sailor is not yet known because of their vulnerability to the elements. Dependent on wind and ocean conditions, there is no measurement of their full life span that hasn’t been affected by these conditions.

Conservation of this species is dependent on the cleanliness of the oceans. Surface oils and gas that might be leaked into the ocean can destroy the whole body system of these siphonophores.

These are one of the few siphonophores species, like the moon jellies, that cannot harm humans with its nematocyst (stinging cell).

The by-the-wind sailors can be right or left sailed, meaning that the sail on top of the siphonophore is pointing in the opposite diagonal as the other side.