WOODS HOLE, Mass., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Synchronized swimming isn't limited to the Summer Games. As a new study reveals, whole colonies of of plankton synchronize their jet-propelled movements. The result is a jellyfish-like unit, moving through the ocean water in unison.
Researchers at the Woods Hole Research Center say the species, Nanomia bijuga, could inspire future underwater vehicles.
"This is a highly efficient system in which no developmental stage is wasted," John H. Costello, a researcher at the center's Marine Biological Laboratory, said in a press release. "It's a quite sophisticated design, for what would seem like a simple arrangement."
Like an ant colony, the plankton colony's success lies in its ability to divvy up jobs and assign them to different members -- all without a central brain. Young plankton focus their propulsive energies on turning and steering towards the front of the unit, while older plankton offer thrust from the back.
Researchers recorded video of the colonies off the coast of Massachusetts and found that though the smaller, younger members at the front have less powerful jets, their slight adjustments have a dramatic effect on the general trajectory of the whole colony.
The species is a siphonophore, an order belonging to the Hydrozoa class. They are related to corals and jellyfish. Members of colonial units are referred to as zooids, while the organism as a whole is called a zoon.
Nanomia bijuga hunts at night, feeding on other plankton and marine microorganisms. The creature's swimming abilities, allowing it to travels as far 656 feet in a day, are detailed in the journal Nature Communications. Like Us on Facebook for more stories from UPI.com Related UPI Stories
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