General Description
Raised transparent "sail" on a blue oval disk that has concentric circles. Rest of body underneath is dark blue. Short fringing tentacles hang from the disc. Float up to 4 cm across.
Biology
By-the-wind Sailors float near the surface of the ocean with their tentacles hanging below in the water. Their movement is powered by the wind hitting the sail. Each batch of young has some animals with a right-hand sail and some with a left-hand sail, ensuring that they don't all get blown in the one direction at the same time.
Distribution
Worldwide. Australian waters.
Habitat
Open water, may drift near shore due to tides and winds.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Brief Id
Transparent float, blue oval base, short dark blue tentacles underneath.
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Colours
Blue, Transparent
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Diet Categories
Fish
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Hazards
Mild sting possible.
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Endemicity
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Commercial
No
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, DSE Advisory List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Not listed
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Depths
Shore (0-1 m), Shallow (1-30 m)
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Water Column Locations
Midwater, Surface
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Taxon Name
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Scientific Author
(Linnaeus, 1758)
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Common Name
By-the-wind Sailor
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Phylum
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Class
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Subclass
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Order
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Suborder
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
velella
