Rhodaliids are a semi-benthic family of 14 physonect siphonophore species found in all oceans, except the Mediterranean and Arctic. They inhabit species-specific depth ranges in isolated locations and records are mostly sparse. Here, the first ever observations

Dromalia alexandri is a short-stemmed physonect siphonophore found regularly in bottom trawls from the shelf waters of southern California, including biannual samples taken to monitor sewage outflow from Los Angeles and San Diego. Since the last description

In this review the history of discovery of siphonophores, from the first formal description by Carl Linnaeus in 1785 to the present, is summarized, and species richness together with a summary of world-wide distribution of this pelagic group within the