Siphonophora
Quick Summary
Siphonophores are colonial, free-swimming marine animals belonging to the order Siphonophorae. These delicate, transparent creatures are often brightly colored and are typically found floating at the ocean's surface or swimming at shallow depths.1
Each siphonophore is a colony of specialized individual units, called zooids, that work together to perform functions such as feeding, defense, and locomotion. They are carnivores, capturing small planktonic animals with a net of tentacles. A notable example of a siphonophore is the Portuguese man-of-war.12
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