(ofMedusa velella Linnaeus, 1758)Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 page(s): 660 [details] Available for editors [request]
Description Resembles Porpita but with triangular sail on upper surface, to 4 cm. Colour blue. Habitat: floating on sea surface....
Description Resembles Porpita but with triangular sail on upper surface, to 4 cm. Colour blue. Habitat: floating on sea surface. Distribution: pantropical (Richmond, 1997). [details]
Schuchert, P.; Choong, H.; Galea, H.; Hoeksema, B.; Lindsay, D.; Manko, M.; Pica, D. (2025). World Hydrozoa Database. Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=117832 on 2025-07-17
original description(ofHolothuria spirans Forsskål, 1775)Forskål P. (1775). Descriptiones Animalium, Avium, Amphibiorum, Piscium, Insectorum, Vermium; quae in Itinere Orientali Observavit Petrus Forskål. Post Mortem Auctoris editit Carsten Niebuhr. Adjuncta est materia Medica Kahirina. Mölleri, Hafniae, 19 + xxxiv + 164 pp. , available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2088059[details]
original description(ofVelella lata Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821)Chamisso, Adelbertus De & Eysenhardt, Carolus Guilelmus. (1821). De animalibus quibusdam e classe vermium Linneana, in circumnavigatione Terrae, auspicante Comite N. Romanoff, duce Ottone di Kotzebue, annis 1815-1818 peracta, observatis. Fasciculus secundus, reliquos vermes continens. <em>Nova Acta physico-medica Academiae Cesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae.</em> 10: 33., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37020829 page(s): 364, pl. 32 fig. 3 A-B [details]
original description(ofMedusa velella Linnaeus, 1758)Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 page(s): 660 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description(ofVelella mutica Lamarck, 1801)Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. <em>Published by the author and Deterville, Paris.</em> : viii + 432 pp., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719 page(s): 355 [details]
original description(ofVelella tentaculata Lamarck, 1801)Lamarck, J. B. (1801). Système des animaux sans vertèbres, ou tableau général des classes, des ordres et des genres de ces animaux. <em>Published by the author and Deterville, Paris.</em> : viii + 432 pp., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14117719 page(s): 355 [details]
original description(ofMedusa pocillum Montagu, 1815)Montagu G. (1816). An account of some new and rare marine British shells and animals. <em>Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.</em> 11(2): 179-204, pls 12-14 ["1815"; 24 January 1816]., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/756731 page(s): 201, pl. 14 fig. 4. [details]
original description(ofVelella scaphidia Peron & Lesueur, 1807)Péron, F. [& L. Freycinet]. (1807-1816). <i>Voyage de découvertes aux Terres Australes, exécuté par ordre de sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi,. ... pendant les années 1800. 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804</i>. Paris. I: xv + 496 pp. [1807]; II: xxxi + 471 pp. [1816]; Atlas, 65 pls & maps. , available online athttps://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44096 page(s): pl. 30 figs 6, 6a. [details]
original description(ofVelella pyramidalis Cranch in Tuckey, 1818)Tuckey, J. K. (1818). A general notice of the animals taken by Mr. John Cranch, during the expedition to explore the source of the River Zaire. Appendix 4 [pp. 407-419]. <em>In: Narrative of an expedition to explore the river Zaire, usually called the Congo, in south Africa, in 1816. John Murray, London.</em> i-lxxxii + 1-498, 14 pls. [Fishes are on pp. 409-410 by W. E. Leach.]. page(s): 419 (author of name: Cranch) [details]
original description(ofVelella oblonga Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821)Chamisso, Adelbertus De & Eysenhardt, Carolus Guilelmus. (1821). De animalibus quibusdam e classe vermium Linneana, in circumnavigatione Terrae, auspicante Comite N. Romanoff, duce Ottone di Kotzebue, annis 1815-1818 peracta, observatis. Fasciculus secundus, reliquos vermes continens. <em>Nova Acta physico-medica Academiae Cesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae.</em> 10: 33., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37020829 page(s): 364, pl. 32, fig. 2 A-C. [details]
original description(ofVelella sinistra Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821)Chamisso, Adelbertus De & Eysenhardt, Carolus Guilelmus. (1821). De animalibus quibusdam e classe vermium Linneana, in circumnavigatione Terrae, auspicante Comite N. Romanoff, duce Ottone di Kotzebue, annis 1815-1818 peracta, observatis. Fasciculus secundus, reliquos vermes continens. <em>Nova Acta physico-medica Academiae Cesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae.</em> 10: 33., available online athttp://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37020829 page(s): 363, pl. 32 fig. 1 [details]
original description(ofVelella emarginata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)Quoy, J.R.C. & J.P. Gaimard. (1824-1826). Zoologie. <em>In: L. de Freycinet (ed.), Voyage au tour du monde fait par ordre du roi, sur les corvettes de S. M: l'Uranie et la Physicienne pendant les années 1817 à 1820.</em> iv + 712 pp. [pp. 1-328, 1824; 329-616, 1825; 617-664, 1826]., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40871044 page(s): 586, pl. 86 fig. 9. [details]
original description(ofVelella cyanea Lesson, 1826)Duperrey, L.-I.; Arthus Bertrand (Firm); Bory de Saint-Vincent; Brongniart, A.; Dumont d'Urville, J.-S.-C.; Garnot, P.; Guérin-Méneville, F.-É.; Lesson, R. P.; ;. (1825-1830). Voyage autour du monde : exécuté par ordre du roi, sur la corvette de Sa Majesté, la Coquille, pendant les années 1822, 1823, 1824, et 1825. , available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/57936 page(s): Zoophytes, pl. 6, fig. 3, 4. [details]
original description(ofVelella sandwichiana de Haan, 1827)de Haan, W. 1827. Verhandeling over de Rangschikking der Velellen, Porpiten und Physalien. Bijdragen tot de Natuurkundige Wetenschappen, Amsterdam 2: 489-503., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16107302 page(s): 491; note: De Haan (1827) refers to Esch[sc]holtz for this name, but Eschscholtz di apparently not introduce this name. [details]
original description(ofVelella patellaris Brandt, 1835)Brandt, J. F. (1834-1835). Prodromus descriptionis animalium ab H. Mertensio observatorum : fascic. I. Polypos, Acalephas Discophoras et Siphonophoras, nec non Echinodermata continens. <em>Recueil des Actes de la Séance Publique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg.</em> 1834: 201-275., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10765514 page(s): 238 [details]
original description(ofVelella oxyothone Brandt, 1835)Brandt, J. F. (1834-1835). Prodromus descriptionis animalium ab H. Mertensio observatorum : fascic. I. Polypos, Acalephas Discophoras et Siphonophoras, nec non Echinodermata continens. <em>Recueil des Actes de la Séance Publique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg.</em> 1834: 201-275., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10765514 page(s): 239 [details]
original description(ofVelella oxyothone var. brachyothone Brandt, 1835)Brandt, J. F. (1834-1835). Prodromus descriptionis animalium ab H. Mertensio observatorum : fascic. I. Polypos, Acalephas Discophoras et Siphonophoras, nec non Echinodermata continens. <em>Recueil des Actes de la Séance Publique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg.</em> 1834: 201-275., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10765514 page(s): 239 [details]
basis of recordvan der Land, J.; Vervoort, W.; Cairns, S.D.; Schuchert, P. (2001). Hydrozoa, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 112-120 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Taxonomy
redescriptionSchuchert, P. 2012. North-West European Athecate Hydroids and their Medusae. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) 59. The Linnean Society of London, London, pp. i-viii, 1-364. page(s): 168, fig. 157 [details] Available for editors [request]
redescriptionSchuchert, P. (2010). The European athecate hydroids and their medusae (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria): Capitata Part 2. <em>Revue Suisse de Zoologie.</em> 117: 337-555., available online athttps://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.117793 page(s): 476, figs 68-69 [details]
redescriptionCalder, D. R. (1988). Shallow-water hydroids of Bermuda. The Athecatae. <em>Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions.</em> 148: 1-107. page(s): 81 [details] Available for editors [request]
Other
context source (Deepsea)Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), available online athttp://www.iobis.org/[details]
context source (HKRMS)Morton, B. & Morton, J. (1983). <i>The sea shore ecology of Hong Kong</i>. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. 350 pp. [details]
context source (Bermuda)Calder, D. R. (1988). Shallow-water hydroids of Bermuda. The Athecatae. <em>Royal Ontario Museum Life Sciences Contributions.</em> 148: 1-107.[details] Available for editors [request]
context source (Hexacorallia)Fautin, Daphne G. (2013). Hexacorallians of the World. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional sourceRichmond, M. (Ed.) (1997). A guide to the seashores of Eastern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean islands. Sida/Department for Research Cooperation, SAREC: Stockholm, Sweden. ISBN 91-630-4594-X. 448 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional sourceMuller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online athttp://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf[details]
additional sourceLinnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online athttps://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886[details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceBouillon, J.; Boero, F. (2000). Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hydromedusae of the world, with a list of the worldwide species. <i>Thalassia Salent. 24</i>: 47-296 (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional sourceCalder, D. R. and S. D. Cairns. 2009. Hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) of the Gulf of Mexico, Pp. 381–394 in Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.[details]
additional sourceLiu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors [request]
additional sourceCairns, S.D., L. Gershwin, F.J. Brook, P. Pugh, E.W. Dawson, O.V. Ocaña, W. Vervoort, G. Williams, J.E. Watson, D.M. Opresko, P. Schuchert, P.M. Hine, D.P. Gordon, H.I. Campbell, A.J. Wright, J.A.Sánchez & D.G. Fautin. (2009). Phylum Cnidaria: corals, medusae, hydroids, myxozoans. <em>in: Gordon, D.P. (Ed.) (2009). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity: 1. Kingdom Animalia: Radiata, Lophotrochozoa, Deuterostomia.</em> :59-101., available online athttps://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/8431[details] Available for editors [request]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Description Resembles Porpita but with triangular sail on upper surface, to 4 cm. Colour blue. Habitat: floating on sea surface. Distribution: pantropical (Richmond, 1997). [details]