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Blue button (Porpita porpita) Cnidaria marine organism

Blue button or Porpita porpita are marine animals that belong to the Cnidaria phylum in the animal kingdom. Although this phylum is also where jellyfish are grouped. Porpita porpita seemingly looks like round flat jellies. They are not jellyfish they are a colony of organisms living together to form a larger whole the organisms that make up the individual creature that we call.

Blue buttons are from the Hydrozoa class of animals and form the hydroid colony of the blue button the body structure of Porpita porpita is basically in two parts the hydroid colony which is the tentacle looking parts and the float which is the round flattest shape in the middle of the organism. The float is used for the purpose of well you're smart sure you can probably figure that one out for yourself on the underside of the float.

The mouth is located which also acts as the organ for expelling waste typically the float will appear yellow to brown in color and be about one inch in diameter the tentacle-like appendages are usually turquoise blue in color but can vary to purple and yellow hues. They also end in stinging cells called nematocysts while their sting is not really effective on human skin it can cause irritation so it's best to not touch them if discovered washed up on shore.

Some sites seem too clean that these little creatures can't sting but the nematocysts being present are proof that they do basically the function of the nematocysts is to house the new mat assist when threatened or when attacking prey than a mat assist is stimulated to be expelled from the nematocysts housing this expulsion launches the new mat assist into the prey item.

Depending on the type of nematocysts possessed may allow for the injection of venom such as in the case of the Portuguese man-of-war it's possible that the new mat assists of the blue buttons may not be large enough to always pierce human skin. Like some species of sea anemones and this could be from where this misinformation originates but still, as with most wildlife, it's better to look and not touch remember.

How long Porpita porpita can live seems to be a mystery but we do know that they possess both male and female reproductive organs. They will simultaneously release both sperm and eggs into the water column for fertilization it's not uncommon to see large groups of blue buttons or Porpita porpita congregating together on the surface of the ocean or even washed up on beach they can be found in tropical and sometimes subtropical oceans.

They are carried along by wind and water currents common hunting grounds for Porpita porpita include the Gulf of Mexico as well as the shores of Australia and many coasts of Asia. The diet of the blue button consists of mostly tiny organisms such as plankton and they are eaten by other animals like sea slugs. Have you ever seen one of these fascinating animals in the wild?

Porpita porpita facts


Blue button (Porpita porpita)


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Blue button (Porpita porpita)

Blue button - the colony of hydroids


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