Nanomia cara A. Agassiz, 1835 Common name(s):
Synonyms:
Phylum Cnidaria  Class Hydrozoa  Order Siphonophora Suborder Physonectae  Family Agalmidae
	Nanomia cara, found on Sharpe Cove dock at night by Jamie Anderson Fields. Chain is about 10 cm long. Note the small gas-filled float at the top.
	(Photo by:  Dave Cowles, July 2025)

Description:  As a physonectid, this species has one float followed by multiple nectophores (swimming bells), then more types of zooids such as feeding and reproductive. The feeding and reproductive zooids occur down to the end of the chain. Many of the zooids have orange color when extended, which becomes plum-colored when contracted. The nectophores have ridges, apical wings, and  also have lateral canals with clearly-formed sigmoid curves. Does not generally fragment between the swimming and nonswimming zooid groups in nature.

How to Distinguish from Similar Species:Cordagalma cordiformis is colorless, has no ridges, and often fragments between the swimming and nonswimming zooids. The zooids below the nectophores in Physophora hydrostatica form a ring. Calycophorans have no gas-filled float.

Geographical Range:

Depth Range:

Habitat:  Pelagic

Biology/Natural History:

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Web sites:

General Notes and Observations: Locations, abundances, unusual behaviors:

Here is a short movie showing Nanomia cara swimming in a plankton kreisel

Authors and Editors of Page:
Dave Cowles (2025

):  Created original page
CSS coding for page developed by Jonathan Cowles

Salish Sea Invertebrates web site provided courtesy of Walla Walla University