Siphonophores - Detailed illustration from nature - Ernst Haeckel, Kunstformen der Natur

Reproduction engraving of: Siphonophores

Original title Siphonophorae - Staatsquallen

Poster of Bassia - Echinoderms of the class Siphonophores or Siphonophora, Order Calyconectae (Calyconectae)

Illustration from the book Kunstformen der Natur, which is a collection of artistic lithographs of natural sciences published by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel between 1899 and 1904.

This naturalistic illustration is part of an overall style inspired by Ernst Haeckel, which greatly influenced the emerging Art Nouveau movement at the beginning of the ^20th century. This work, illustrating the impressive beauty and great diversity of the biological world, was complemented by a certain amount of scientific information, some excerpts of which are reproduced below.

This information is over 120 years old and some of it may be outdated!

Scientific classification:

 Cnidarian Phylum (Cnidaria)
Class Siphonophores (Siphonophorae)
Order Calyconectae (Calyconectae)

Scientific notice (extract) accompanying the poster print of Siphonophorae - Siphonophores :

The order Calyconectae (Calyconectae) is distinguished from all other Siphonophores by the absence of a gas-filled swim bladder (Pneumatophore). Their swimming movement is provided solely by the muscles of the medusiform swimming bells (Nectocalyces). Usually, at the top of the long, elongated trunk, there are two large swimming bells (Diphyidae); sometimes these are arranged one behind the other and are of very different sizes (Fig. 3); sometimes they are almost the same size and are opposite each other (Fig. 1). In other cases, the swimming body (Nectosoma) is formed by several swimming bells arranged in two rows (Polyphyidae). The feeding body (Siphosoma) is composed of numerous small groups of polyps or segments (Cormidia) distributed at regular intervals along the threadlike trunk. These cormidia can detach themselves from the trunk and swim independently; these detached segments have been considered independent species and named separately (Eudoxia, Figs. 2 and 7). Usually, each cormidium consists of two individuals, one sterile (non-fertile) and one fertile (sexually mature). The sterile individual is a medusa with a stomach and mouth opening (Siphon) and a specially formed umbrella, without sexual organs. The fertile individual has a different shape; its gastric cavity has no mouth opening, but produces sex cells. The shape of the males (Fig. 7) is often different from that of the females (Fig. 8). The remarkable structures of these Calyconectae, which are very sensitive and mobile, can be compared to a long railway train, pulled at the front by two locomotives (the two large swimming bells). The cars correspond to the different cormidia. From the eggs, a medusiform larva develops; the gastric cavity of this larva lengthens and becomes the trunk, which by budding, produces the different segments; there is therefore an alternation of generations here.

Species present on the Siphonophores - Bassia naturalist board :

• Praya galea
• Bassia obeliscus