Obelia dichotoma

The Bushy Wine-glass Hydroid

Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hydrozoa
Order Hydroida
Suborder Leptomedusae
Family Campanulariidae
Genus Obelia
Species dichotoma

Description: Colony 20-30 cm high; whitish and bushy; colony is highly branched; each branch has rings just above attachments to stem; reproductive buds are found in the lower part of the colony; feeding polyps are at the ends of the branch tips throughout the upper part of the colony;.

Habitat: Found on floats, pilings, rocks, shells and other solid objects.

Natural History: Colonies are comprised of thousands of feeding and reproductive polyps on branching stalks. The feeding polyps contain stinging cells called nematocysts which capture prey. Tiny medusae bud off from the reproductive polyps.