Image: Bluebottle Illustration
Description
Bluebottles have a float or bottle-shaped blue sac, which sits on the water's surface. They have many string-like tentacles hanging down from the float.
- Illustrator:
- Andrew Howells
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
- Common name:
- Bluebottle
- Scientific name:
- Physalia physalis
Additional information
Bluebottles have a float or bottle-shaped blue sac, which sits on the water's surface. They have many string-like tentacles hanging down from the float.
Bluebottles live in the oceans around Australia. They eat fish, small crabs and plankton.
Bluebottles eat using their feeding tentacles. Their mouths get big enough to surround their food. They then break their food into small bits with digestive enzymes.
Sea slugs (nudibranchs), sea turtles and violet snails eat Bluebottles.
Each Bluebottle is actually a colony of individual animals. Each animal has a special role for feeding, reproduction, defence and food capture or as the float for the colony.
Would you like to add a comment?
Sign up to add comments and find out more about the other benefits you can enjoy.
Would you like to add a tag?
Sign up to add tags and find out more about the other benefits you can enjoy.
Coastal habitats View full size
Andrew Howells
© Australian Museum
what's on
Design like an Egyptian: Jewellery Design Competition
12 Aug 09 – 14 Dec 09
Attention: Visual Art and Design and Technology Teachers: The Australian Museum presents Design Like an Egyptian: Jewellery Design Competition. Win cash prizes!
Off-site
Support us
Help us continue to provide quality research, education, community programs and exhibitions.
Online Shop
Featuring a selection of products relating to the collections.
Australian Museum Members
Join today to come to the Museum for free and enjoy many other benefits.
AMBS
Australian Museum Business Services - Ecological, archaeological and heritage consulting.
Museum as a Venue
We have many unique venues ideal for dinner, cocktails, weddings and conferences.