Velellas, a genus of cnidarians, are more on the odd looking side. These common jellyfish- like creatures are found on the North American West Coast. Though they don’t have a traditional “medusa” or “polyp” looking form, their body shapes are more of a flat, disk- like colony of specialized personal polyps and are about 6- 7cm in diameter.. They generally live in warm to warm- temperate waters and oceans and live off shore. Due to them mostly floating above water, they have a vibrant blue color to them that helps them protect against the sun’s harmful rays. They also use their flashy color to their advantage as it provides them with good camouflage. Another way they protect themselves is with small stinging tentacles that are around their mouth.These tentacles are harmless to humans.
…show more content…
In order to float, they use tiny air bubbles to provide them with buoyancy. Another way they move is with their sail. Most are “left- handed” with a sail that runs along the body from upper- left to lower- right. Some do have sails that run from upper- right to lower- left though. Because of these sails, they only sail downwind.Also, due to their reliance on the wind, storms usually wash up millions of them along ocean shores every spring and summer.
There has been some recent debates and researches about these cnidarians and on just how closely related to jellyfishes they actually are. In all truth though, they’re really not that closely related at all. Velellas are actually related to a different group of animals called siphonophores. These animals are very complex; instead of being one individual in itself, it’s a bunch of individuals all working together in a
In order to float, they use tiny air bubbles to provide them with buoyancy. Another way they move is with their sail. Most are “left- handed” with a sail that runs along the body from upper- left to lower- right. Some do have sails that run from upper- right to lower- left though. Because of these sails, they only sail downwind.Also, due to their reliance on the wind, storms usually wash up millions of them along ocean shores every spring and summer.
There has been some recent debates and researches about these cnidarians and on just how closely related to jellyfishes they actually are. In all truth though, they’re really not that closely related at all. Velellas are actually related to a different group of animals called siphonophores. These animals are very complex; instead of being one individual in itself, it’s a bunch of individuals all working together in a