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Order of colonial hydrozoans with differentiated zooids / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Siphonophorae is an order of Hydrozoans, a class of marine organisms belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. According to the World Register of Marine Species, the order contains 175 species.[2] The term siphonophore originates from the Greek siphōn 'tube' + pherein 'to bear'.[3]
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2014) |
AnnemarieMoy/sandbox | |
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Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hydrozoa |
Subclass: | Hydroidolina |
Order: | Siphonophorae Eschscholtz, 1829 |
Suborders[1] | |
Synonyms | |
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Although a siphonophore may appear to be an individual organism, each specimen is in fact a colonial organism composed of medusoid and polypoid zooids that are morphologically and functionally specialized.[4] Zooids are multicellular units that develop from a single fertilized egg and combine to create functional colonies able to: reproduce, digest, float, maintain body positioning, and use jet propulsion to move.[5] Most colonies are long, thin, transparent floaters living in the pelagic zone.[6]
Like other hydrozoans, some siphonophores have been observed to exhibit the ability to emit light in order to attract and attack prey. While many sea animals produce blue and green bioluminescence, this siphonophore was only the second lifeform found to produce a red light (the first one being the scaleless dragonfish Chirostomias pliopterus).[7]