By-the-wind sailor

Distribution : Mediterranean · Atlantic Ocean · Indian Ocean · Pacific Ocean · Caribbean Sea

Marine region

In Japanese, katsuo no kanmuri means “bonito’s crown”. The name refers to the by-the-wind sailor, whose arrival along the coast has traditionally accompanied warmer waters and signalled a favourable season for bonito fishing. In 1970, Robert Bieri described this association in an account of by-the-wind sailors at Shirahama. Behind the almost ceremonial name lies a familiar sign in Japanese maritime life. How did a little blue traveller become a herald of a fish prized by local fishermen?

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Habitat

Open water

Depth

0-0 m

Group

Role

Predator

Average size

5 cm

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

The by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) has a flattened, translucent body shaded blue. A thin rigid sail lies diagonally across the top.

This little sailboat outline belongs to a colony, a group of small animals joined together. Usual size ranges from 2 to 7 cm.

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