First Report of Stranded By-the-wind Sailor from Coastal Areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The free-floating anthoathecate hydrozoan species Velella velella (Linnaeus 1758) is commonly known as by-the-wind sailor. The typical morphological feature of this species denotes a sail-like structure above the sea surface, provides the major physical attribute to this species related to its drift or navigation across the tropical and temperate warm waters. During the present study, stranding of V. velella with northwest to southeast directive sail is reported from the sandy coast of Great Nicobar Island for the first time.

Automated summary

The study reports the first stranding of V. velella with a northwest to southeast directive sail from the sandy coast of Great Nicobar Island.