Weird and Wonderful: This little siphonophore has a big impact on deep-sea food webs

Siphonophores (pronounced sigh-fawn-oh-fours) are delicate drifters made up of specialized segments that work together as one. These animals are like living commuter trains. Pulsing bells up front pull a long chain of segments specialized for feeding, defense, and reproduction.

Siphonophores are deadly beautiesthey cast a net of tentacles to snare prey and are important predators in ocean ecosystems. In Monterey Bay, the common siphonophore (Nanomia bijuga) is one of the principal predators of krill. At times, this species can be quite abundant. Combined, the numerous Nanomia eat more krill than all the whales that gather to feast in the bays fertile waters.

This small siphonophoreonly about 30 centimeters (12 inches) longis a sit-and-wait predator. It casts stinging tentacles that are lined with knobby tips. Those bumpy bits resemble tiny shrimp-like creatures, making tasty bait for hungry plankton. But Nanomia is not a very patient predator. If nothing comes along in a few minutes, it retracts its tentacles and swims to another spot to try again.

Learn more at MBARIs Creature feature: https://www.mbari.org/products/creature-feature/common-siphonophore

Scientific name: Nanomia bijuga
Size: Maximum length: 30 centimeters (12 inches)
Depth: Observed depth: 50600 meters (1641,970 feet)

Editor: Ted Blanco
Writer: Kyra Schlining
Production team: Larissa Lemon, Ral Nava, Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun

References:

Burford, B.P., Robison, B.H., and R.E. Sherlock (2014). Behaviour and mimicry in the juvenile and subadult life stages of the mesopelagic squid Chiroteuthis calyx. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315414001763: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-marine-biological-association-of-the-united-kingdom/article/abs/behaviour-and-mimicry-in-the-juvenile-and-subadult-life-stages-of-the-mesopelagic-squid-chiroteuthis-calyx/4567C3AD896CC2CF5DA7A9B3F7FDA360