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22-10-2020
Column: Nature Notes - BLUE BOTTLES
Column: Nature Notes - BLUE BOTTLES
Blue bottles (Physalia utriculus) are not jellyfish; they belong to the phylum Cnidaria, which include corals and sea anemones. Although they appear to be single animals, they are actually colonial organisms known as siphonophores. Within the colony there are four different types of zooids, each with a specific role to play.
The float or pneumatatophore is a single individual, which provides the basic structure that supports the rest of the colony. The float measures 3cm to15cm and is an aerodynamic, muscular, blue bag that secretes its own gas. It is able to sail by using muscles to control its curvature and the shape of its crest. The blue bottle floats on the surface of the ocean, but it can deflate and submerge briefly if necessary.
The gastrozooids are concerned with digestion. These digestive polyps respond to the presence of food by fastening on to it with their mouths. Their mouths cover the surface of the food by expanding up to ten times in size. The polyps secrete digestive enzymes over the food, a

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