SIPHONOPHORES By Emma Gregory and Seth Brooks WHAT ARE SIPHONOPHORES? • Siphonophores are a type of plankton consisting of many different zooids (individual organisms) that grow from a single egg. These individual zooids are not able to survive on their own if they are separated from the colony. WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? • Siphonophores range widely in appearance. They can look like jellyfish, glowing lanterns, masses of tentacles, centipede-like creatures, or long, luminescent strings. They can grow up to 40 meters in length. Right- Hula Skirt Siphonophore demonstrating the varied appearances of this type of plankton WORKS CITED • www.siphonophores.org WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A SIPHONOPHORE? • Pneumatophore – A gas filled sac that is used to keep the siphonophores afloat. Left- A Comb Jelly Siphonophore with a large pneumatophore WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A SIPHONOPHORE? • Nectosome – The nectosome contains the nectophores, which are specialized structures that propel the siphonophore forward. Right- A photo of a Siphonophore’s nectosomes WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF A SIPHONOPHORE? • Siphosome – The siphosome contains all the other parts of a siphonophore. These including polyps and medusa for catching and digesting food, transporting nutrients, reproduction, and defense. Right- Diagram of a Siphonophore’s body plan • Palpon – A type of polyp that has excretory and defense responsibilities. • Bract – A type of polyp or medusa (debated) which plays a role as a barricade for the colony. Right- Diagram of a Siphonophore’s body plan, including the Palpons and Polyps HOW DO SIPHONOPHORES REPRODUCE? All of the parts of a siphonophore develop from a fertilized egg called a protozooid. It then develops a pneumatophore, nectophores, and the remaining zooids it needs to survive. Many siphonophore colonies are hermaphroditic, while some colonies are strictly male or female. LIFECYCLE OF A SIPHONOPHORE 1. Egg is fertilized 2. Egg develops into a protozooid 3. All other zooids of the colony bud from the protozooid 4. Siphonophores grow symmetrically, adding new nectophores and siphosomes down the main stem Right- Illustrated lifecycle of a Siphonophore HOW DO SIPHONOPHORES EAT? • Siphonophores are cnidarians, a group of organisms that use cnidocytes kill their prey. • Cnidocytes are a type of cell that contain a hollow, dart-like structure. Once activated, these inject toxins into the other organism. • After the animal has been stunned or killed, the siphonophore’s digestive parts engulf the prey. Right- A Siphonophore covered in cnidocytes WHAT DO SIPHONOPHORES EAT? • All Siphonophores are predators, and they eat small fish, krill, crustaceans, and anything else that swims into their tentacles. Right- A Portuguese Man-Of-War eating small fish WHERE DO THEY LIVE? • Siphonophores are common in most open and deep ocean ecosystems. They are very fragile and oftentimes small, which makes them hard to catch and to see. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i XDH23kIuhk (Near shore siphonophore) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K T1TSbarW1U (Deep sea siphonophore) HOW DO THEY EFFECT THE ECOSYSTEM? • Siphonophores keep down populations of small fish and other types of zooplankton, which in turn helps the phytoplankton populations. SIPHONOPHORES OF PUGET SOUND • No information was found on types of Siphonophores in Puget Sound. Finding an unspecified type of siphonophore during a night dive is mentioned in someone’s personal blog, but this should be taken with a grain of salt.