Pyrosomes gather up light and blaze bright in the brine

By Susan Scott

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Sep 19, 2011

~~<p>In June a reader sent me a photo of a rarely seen creature she found in Hanauma Bay. A friend helped me identify the animal, about the size and shape of a Slinky toy, as a Portuguese man-of-war relative called a siphonophore.</p>
<p>That June 20 column prompted this email from photographer Wayne Levin: "I read your article with interest as it reminded me of something I saw off the south point of Honaunau Bay in South Kona a number of years ago. What I saw was 3-4 feet long and white. … I wonder if you may know what it is."</p>
~~

In June a reader sent me a photo of a rarely seen creature she found in Hanauma Bay. A friend helped me identify the animal, about the size and shape of a Slinky toy, as a Portuguese man-of-war relative called a siphonophore.

That June 20 column prompted this email from photographer Wayne Levin: "I read your article with interest as it reminded me of something I saw off the south point of Honaunau Bay in South Kona a number of years ago. What I saw was 3-4 feet long and white. … I wonder if you may know what it is." Login for more...