Velellas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of small, jellyfish-like marine organism characterized by its transparent, sail-like structure that allows it to drift in ocean currents
2. Referring to a genus of free-floating cnidarians known for their distinctive umbrella shape and ability to inhabit surface waters
3. Describing a species of colonial animals that possess a unique paddle-like sail for locomotion, often found in open ocean environments

Etymology: Velellas are the plural of "velella", a name taken from the genus that gives these animals their scientific classification. The genus name is itself a Latinised coinage, and the animals are not jellyfish but colonies of tiny hydrozoan polyps that live and drift together as a single organism. Each colony rides on a flat, oval float with a stiff, diagonal sail projecting above the water. Wind pushes that sail across the surface, so the colony travels at an angle to the breeze rather than simply being blown along. Because they are carried by wind and current, large numbers can wash up on beaches together, often after onshore winds.