By-the-wind Sailor
Velella velella
Velella are actually colonies of specialized polyps, and their sails are 'handed'—some tilt left and others right, ensuring wind blows different parts of the population in different directions.
- Scientific name
- Velella velella
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Cnidaria › Hydrozoa › Anthoathecata › Porpitidae › Velella
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Pelagic zone of the open ocean, specifically the surface interface known as the pleuston.
- Diet
- Carnivorous; feeds on zooplankton, copepods, and fish larvae using trailing tentacles.
- Range
- Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea
- Size
- Up to 7-10 cm in length
- Lifespan
- Under 1 year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Marine plastic pollution, ocean acidification, and climate-driven changes to surface currents.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally harmless but defensive. Avoid touching the blue tentacles, as they contain mild stinging cells. If handled, do not touch your eyes or face. In case of a sting, rinse with seawater (not fresh water) and use a credit card to scrape off any remaining tissue. Seek medical attention only if an allergic reaction occurs.
Velella is a monospecific genus of hydrozoa in the Porpitidae family. Its only known species is Velella velella , a cosmopolitan free-floating hydrozoa that lives on the surface of the open ocean. It is commonly known by the names sea raft , by-the-wind sailor , purple sail , little sail , or simply Velella .
Photo: Niki Hubbard, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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