Christmas tree siphonophore
Ramisyllis multicaudata
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Invertebrates
- Ecosystem
- Deep sea
- Relatives
- Other siphonophores; Order: Siphonophorae
- Diet
- Small crustaceans and fish, mantis shrimp larvae, and bristle worms (polychaete)
- Range
- From the surface to 6,600 ft. (2,000 m) in the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
- Size
- Up to 10 feet (3 m) in length
Meet the Christmas tree siphonophore
Beware of jellies bearing gifts. Those branching tentacles might look like a holiday tree, but they’re loaded with stinging cells that stun prey. This animal drifts and twirls through the midwater using a system of floats and swimming bells.
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