A third kind of floating siphonophore occasionally seen washed in on windward beachs is Velella velella, sometime called a by-the-wind sailor. It has a small flat disk shaped body with an erect flap on top that sticks up and acts as a sail. We currently have no photos of the living animal, but specimens I saw washed ashore in Hawaii measured about 15mm.
Created 20 October 2015