Photo Observation of the Month of January - How Blue are Your Buttons
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Congratulations to Robbie Belchamber for their photo observation of the month of January of the blue button from the Porpita genus at the northern end of Camp Cove beach in southern Sydney Harbour. This is not a jellyfish, but instead a marine organism consisting of a colony of hydroids or hydrozoan polyps found in most warmer, tropical, and sub-tropical waters of the planet.
The blue button lives on the surface of the sea and moves vertically in the water column by using its float, though mostly moving passively with the ever shifting currents and prevailing winds, with the hydroid colony responsible for capturing planktonic prey via its stinging nematocyst cells. This is one of those "look but don't touch" organisms, as its sting can be an irritant to human skin. Blue buttons are also thought to be moving further and further south down the east Australian coastline with our warming oceans and rapidly changing climate. Please check out this video from the folks at James Cook University to see its beauty in real time.
This journal post was written by project leader and iNaturalist member, Dr Joseph DiBattista.
