Updated April 7th, 2020 at 18:16 IST
US experts discover siphonophore apolemia with 'UFO structure', netizens curious
According to experts, Siphnophore Apolemia is a floating colony of polyps and medusoids which appear to be a single multicellular organism.
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US experts have discovered a giant Siphnophore Apolemia as a part of the ongoing Ningaloo Canyons Expeditions. On April 7, Schmidt Ocean Institute took to Twitter to describe the creature as one of the ‘largest ever recorded.’ Siphnophore Apolemia is a floating colony of polyps and medusoids which appear to be a single multicellular organism.
Check out this beautiful *giant* siphonophore Apolemia recorded on #NingalooCanyons expedition. It seems likely that this specimen is the largest ever recorded, and in strange UFO-like feeding posture. Thanks @Caseywdunn for info @wamuseum @GeoscienceAus @CurtinUni @Scripps_Ocean pic.twitter.com/QirkIWDu6S
— Schmidt Ocean (@SchmidtOcean)
The 30 seconds clip immediately captured everyone’s attention garnering over 262 thousand views in just a few hours. Many dished out questions and curious comments which were answered by the institute. Many also asked about the size of the organism, to which the institute replied "this siphonophore’s outer ring measured in at 15m (49ft) diameter, so just that ring *alone* seems to be approximately 47m (154ft)"
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'Had to google'
And it doesn’t know we exist. Trippy how many different worlds are on this planet!
— Mx Hazel Hart @ ACNH (@MxHazelHart)
Is there any guess on the potential age with this size/length? If it ever encountered a large obstacle/passing fish and split, what happens to it?
— Kyle (@skywatcher_kyle)
Has movement of water (i.e. currents) lead to the formation of the spiral, or does it somehow positions itself into this shape?
— Gideon Mordecai (@gidmord)
Had to google ... wikipedia made me laugh... "Apolemia uvaria... commonly known as string jellyfish, barbed wire jellyfish, and long stringy stingy thingy..."
— Wayward Tory Hayward (@ToryHayward)
I knew siphonophores grew to be huge colonies, but this is difficult to comprehend. This must be what they were talking about on that chat the other day. Just wow.
— Gotsumpnferya (@gotsumpnferya)
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Published April 7th, 2020 at 18:16 IST