Porpita Porpita

5 days ago
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The Blue Button (Porpita porpita) is a colonial hydrozoan, not a true jellyfish, and is composed of genetically identical specialized individuals called zooids that work together as a single superorganism to perform functions like feeding, reproduction, and defense. These zooids are arranged in a precise pattern, creating a golden-brown, gas-filled float surrounded by blue, purple, or yellow hydroids with stinging cells for capturing prey. 

Like the Portuguese man-o'-war, another famous colonial hydrozoan, the blue button drifts with ocean currents. Its sting is mild and typically causes only minor skin irritation in humans.

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