Siphonophores - Fascinating "alien" (but actually naturally occurring) sea creatures

Siphonophores - Fascinating "alien" (but actually naturally occurring) sea creatures.
Dr. Phil Pugh talks about studying jellyfish that cannot be collected in nets, and about his first times seeing live ones. These jellyfish are called siphonophores.
Taken from: CreatureCast - Footage From The Deep -
vimeo.com/9561696

[@TheTrueTelevator]

@FormulaOneFan4Eva From National Geographic, "The gelatinous creatures are colonial, meaning they are actually made up of an attached, integrated collection of individual parts-each of which has a highly specialized function such as catching prey, digesting prey, reproduction, or locomotion. In some species the siphonophore’s tubular stem can reach 130 feet long (40 meters long)-even longer than the blue whale."
So cool

[@MartyredxMaiden]

it is true. these components are called "zooids", and each one carries out a different function for the whole colony

[@SrgStinky]

Some of them explode when you look at them with light wow do you have or know of any footage of this!

[@tinerotiman]

@FormulaOneFan4Eva Although I'm in no way an expert on these strange beings, I think it is indeed true what you've heard. Fascinating, no?