Dendrogramma

Dendrogramma enigmatica is a species of siphonophore, the only one in its genus. It has been first described in 2014 on the basis of its morphology from a collection of specimens gathered in 1986. Its taxonomic affinity among animals was then unclear, but RNA from new specimens in 2016 allowed it to be identified as a siphonophore by barcoding and phylogenomics. The specimens are presumed to represent parts (bracts) of an entire siphonophore that has not been identified yet.

== Discovery == The first Dendrogramma specimens were collected off the south-east coast of Australia during a scientific expedition in 1986. They were collected at water depths of and on the continental slope near Tasmania, using a sled that was dragged over the sea floor to collect bottom-dwelling animals. The researchers were immediately struck by the unusual characteristics of the 18 specimens they collected. These were preserved in formaldehyde, and later in ethanol, for further study.