Record #00353Nature archive
Longest Recorded Siphonophore Colony
On 16 March 2020, researchers filmed an extraordinary siphonophore colony off Ningaloo, Western Australia. Guinness reports an estimated total length up to 119 metres, the longest recorded siphonophore.
ARCHIVE VISUAL / 01
NOT TO SCALE
Current Record
up to119m
Current record value
- Location
- Off Ningaloo, Western Australia · Australia
- Start date
- 2020-03-16
- Record status
- VerifiedView verification details ↗Report an issue
Overview
Archive NoteSchmidt Ocean Institute's R/V Falkor expedition encountered a spiral-shaped siphonophore while exploring submarine canyons off Ningaloo. The outer coil measured roughly 47 metres; the overall length could only be estimated because of the colony's shape and motion.
A siphonophore is made up of highly specialized connected zooids responsible for swimming, feeding, reproduction and other functions. The comparison concerns the entire colony, not a solitary jellyfish or a single non-colonial animal body.
Record history
1 Milestones- up to 119 m2020 Ningaloo giant siphonophore colonyOff Ningaloo, Western AustraliaCurrent Record
Sources
Evidence & ReferencesVerification basis and limitations
VerifiedThe record conclusion has sufficient verification support.
Basis: direct confirmation by an authority
NASA or Guinness explicitly identifies the global record holder for the defined metric, rather than only providing a measurement.
- Verification assessment
- 2026-11-04
- Last editorial review
- 2026-11-04
Current Entry identifies the current entry in this archive; it does not establish that the record is still held today.
The record value on this page is organized from the public sources above. Measurement methods may differ; JiLuDB follows the unified method described for each entry.
Public feedbackFound a data issue?If a fact has changed, the data is incorrect, or you know a more authoritative source, submit feedback.Submit feedback
Help keep the archive accurate
If a fact has changed, a value is incorrect, or you know a more authoritative source, leave a note. Feedback enters an administrator review workflow and never edits a record directly.