Stunning ROV Footage of a Colonial Scarlet Sinophore Moving as a Single Being Across the Ocean Floor

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Insitute (MBARI) captured absolutely stunning ROV footage of a scarlet Sinophore in locomotion across the ocean floor at 500-1,500 meters. The Sinophore is made up of a variety of single-celled hydrozoa that move together as a single colony organism.

Scientists have described some 175 siphonophore species. Most follow a similar body plan—a gas-filled float provides buoyancy, swimming bells propel the colony, and a central stem bears specialized parts for feeding, defense, and reproduction.