Siphonophorae
Identification

Because of their fragility, the identification of species of siphonophores is based largely on the morphology of one or more of the "individuals" that comprise the whole animal. The structure of the nectophores and bracts is of particular importance, although neither of these, with the exception of asexual nectophores on the gonodendra, are present in cystonect species. The following diagnoses refer almost exclusively to the adult stage of the various siphonophore species. The larval nectophore and bracts often have a different morphology, but there is insufficient space to deal with these in the present text. The species included here are those that have been recorded from the South Atlantic Ocean. Because of the dearth of sampling, particularly at deeper depth, it is possible that other species may be found, although the list is quite comprehensive.