科學圖說

海面上的御風者-風帆水母
(Sailing on the Sea -By-the-Wind Sailors)

隨風漂流的風帆水母，分類上屬於刺絲胞動物門水螅蟲綱。有時因為牠們無法控制走向，而受風吹擱淺在海岸。從上方俯看漂浮於海平面的水母，深藍的體色與周圍海水形成了保護色，同時具防曬的效果。風帆水母倘佯於海中，像是一枚濃縮的海洋。

By-the-wind sailors (Velella velella) belong to the class Hydrozoa and the phylum Cnidaria. As the name suggests, they are driven by the wind and drift on the water’s surface. Since they are not able to steer, they are sometimes wind-driven onshore and end up stranded. Looking from above, their bright blue color serves as camouflage but also blocks the sun’s rays. These little sailors appear just like a condensed ocean floating on the sea.