See also:     More Plankton and Jellyfish Photos    Who Eats Zooplankton?

Purple-striped jellyfish, Chrysaora colorata, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #01034, all rights reserved worldwide. Pelagic opisthobranch or pteropod (wing foot), open ocean, Corolla calceola, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #01264, all rights reserved worldwide. Pelagic ctenophore (lobate comb jelly), Leucothea pulchra, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02496, all rights reserved worldwide.
Pelagia colorata, 3 feet (1m), San Diego, Purple-striped jellyfish, Chrysaora colorata, Image 01034 The sea butterfly (Carolla calceola) is also known as a pteropod (wing foot). A truly planktonic opisthobranch that, being negatively bouyant, must swim with its wings. To 8cm, Pelagic opisthobranch or pteropod (wing foot), open ocean, Corolla calceola, Image 01264 Leucothea pulchra, a pelagic lobate comb jelly (ctenophore), San Diego, California. To 25cm, Pelagic ctenophore (lobate comb jelly), Image 02496
Hydromedusa with amphipod, open ocean, Mitrocoma cellularia, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02491, all rights reserved worldwide. Unidentified calycophoran siphonophore, open ocean, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02492, all rights reserved worldwide. Salp (pelagic tunicate) chain, Pegea confoederata, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02494, all rights reserved worldwide.
Left: Likely the hydromedusa Mitrocoma cellularia, with an amphipod on its bell. There is a family of amphipods (Hyperiidae) that specializes on living on various types of gelatinous animals. Right: an unidentified species of calycophoran siphonophore. Species in this group of siphonophores are very difficult to identify, even for experts. Identifications courtesy Dave Wrobel, Monterey Bay Aquarium. [Image 2491] [Image 2492] The salp Pegea confoederata, Salp (pelagic tunicate) chain, Image 02494
Salp (pelagic tunicate) chain, Cyclosalpa affinis, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02495, all rights reserved worldwide. Salp (pelagic tunicate) reproduction, open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #01263, all rights reserved worldwide. Photographer and colonial salp, open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #02994, all rights reserved worldwide.
Salp (pelagic tunicate) chain, Cyclosalpa affinis, Image 02495 Salp (pelagic tunicate) reproduction, open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, Image 01263 Photographer and colonial salp, open ocean, Cyclosalpa affinis, Image 02994
The salp Cyclosalpa affinis is a pelagic tunicate. Individuals group into bracelets, which in turn form chains that can stretch ten feet or more. Individual salps are about 3" to 4" when full grown. Middle: salp reproduction.
Diver and pelagic salp chain, open ocean, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #03158, all rights reserved worldwide. Unidentified species of gelatinous zooplankton, copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #03769, all rights reserved worldwide. Purple jellyfish, open ocean, Pelagia noctiluca, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), copyright Phillip Colla Natural History Photography, www.oceanlight.com, image #06208, all rights reserved worldwide.
Diver and pelagic salp chain, open ocean, Image 03158 Unidentified species of gelatinous zooplankton, Image 03769 Purple jellyfish, open ocean, Pelagia noctiluca, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe), Image 06208