Aurelia coerulea

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Aurelia coerulea
Medusa (Aurelia coerulea), mar Rojo, Egipto, 2023-04-16, DD 09.jpg
Medusa (Aurelia coerulea), mar Rojo, Egipto, 2023-04-16, DD 08.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Semaeostomeae
Family: Ulmaridae
Genus: Aurelia
Species:
A. coerulea
Binomial name
Aurelia coerulea
von Lendenfeld, 1884
Synonyms

Aurelia japonicaKishinouye, 1891

Aurelia coerulea or Asian moon jelly is a species of moon jelly in the genus Aurelia . [1] This species is native to the seas off Japan, China, Korea, and California, as well as the Mediterranean and other temperate seas. and they can also be found in coastal areas of China, Korea, California, the Mediterranean and other temperate seas. It is particularly abundant in artificial habitats and sheltered regions. It has a very high reproductive rate which can cause blooming events. A.coerulea blooming causes problems such as impairing fisheries, clogging the nuclear power plants and disrupting the local zooplankton abundance. The chemical compounds the species secretes as a self-defense mechanism can be used for pharmaceutical purposes.

Contents

Habitat

A.coerulea are mainly distributed in culture ponds, artificial reefs, lagoons, marinas, and other cold and shady artificial constructions for settlement and proliferation. [2] [3] They are weak swimmers so those structures can protect the polyps from being washed away. [2] Hypoxia in coastal waters induces stress and disrupts life cycles of the benthic organisms, but A.coerulea polyps are more tolerant than some other competitors under low dissolved oxygen level, so their population increase while others left due to stress. [4] A.coerulea like ambient temperature, disrupted temperature and salinity will bring detrimental effects to them. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Blooming

It has been reported that blooming of the A.coerulea medusae clogged cooling water intakes and increased shut down frequency of nuclear power plants. [9] Also, blooming occur in eutrophic embayments disrupts the local zooplankton abundance. [10] Planktonic ciliates are abundant in eutrophic embayments, the A.coerulea polyp and ephyra actively devour and assimilate ciliates until medusa stage, medusa then prey on mesozooplankton and macrozooplankton. The ephyra can tolerate long period of starvation and grow to medusa in spring with better food conditions. The high abundance of medusae decreases mesozooplankton and macrozooplankton but increases microzooplankton population, which will later become the food source for A.coerulea polyps, resulting in another bloom as a cycle. [10]

Life cycle

A.coerulea has two life cycles, the metagenetic life cycle and direct development life cycle, it can alternate life cycle strategies based on environmental conditions. [11]

In metagenetic life cycle, the A.coerulea planula turns into polyp then attach to substrates for up to half a year till strobilation. Under warm condition, the polyps will reproduce asexually, under cold condition, the polyps will grow then strobilate. Some disadvantages of this life cycle is that the polyps have to compete for space and beware of predation. [11]

In direct development life cycle, A.coerulea planula turns into ephyra, ephyra stage has longer longevity and higher chance to find substrates to settle down. While this stage has low mortality but their population growth is lower as compared to the other life cycle. [11]

Potential uses

A.coerulea lives in bacteria rich habitat, it secretes phenolic compound, which is known for its antioxidant property in nature. Also it has been reported that it shows lysozyme-like activity in its oral arms, umbrella tissues and mucus. Those unique mechanisms can be contributing to their self-defense system against bacteria. Extraction of those compounds can be used for biotechnological and pharmaceutical purposes. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyp (zoology)</span> One of two forms found in the phylum Cnidaria (zoology)

A polyp in zoology is one of two forms found in the phylum Cnidaria, the other being the medusa. Polyps are roughly cylindrical in shape and elongated at the axis of the vase-shaped body. In solitary polyps, the aboral end is attached to the substrate by means of a disc-like holdfast called a pedal disc, while in colonies of polyps it is connected to other polyps, either directly or indirectly. The oral end contains the mouth, and is surrounded by a circlet of tentacles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jellyfish</span> Soft-bodied, aquatic invertebrates

Jellyfish, also known as sea jellies, are the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scyphozoa</span> Class of marine cnidarians, true jellyfish

The Scyphozoa are an exclusively marine class of the phylum Cnidaria, referred to as the true jellyfish.

<i>Aurelia aurita</i> Species of jellyfish

Aurelia aurita is a species of the family Ulmaridae. All species in the genus are very similar, and it is difficult to identify Aurelia medusae without genetic sampling; most of what follows applies equally to all species of the genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhopalium</span>

Rhopalia from Ancient Greek ῥόπαλον (rhópalon) 'club' are small sensory structures of certain Scyphozoan and Cubozoan species.

A planula is the free-swimming, flattened, ciliated, bilaterally symmetric larval form of various cnidarian species and also in some species of Ctenophores, which are not related to cnidarians at all. Some groups of Nemerteans also produce larvae that are very similar to the planula, which are called planuliform larva. In a few cnidarian clades, like Aplanulata and the parasitic Myxozoa, the planula larval stage has been lost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medusozoa</span> Clade of marine invertebrates

Medusozoa is a clade in the phylum Cnidaria, and is often considered a subphylum. It includes the classes Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Staurozoa and Cubozoa, and possibly the parasitic Polypodiozoa. Medusozoans are distinguished by having a medusa stage in their often complex life cycle, a medusa typically being an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles around the edge. With the exception of some Hydrozoa, all are called jellyfish in their free-swimming medusa phase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nomura's jellyfish</span> Species of jellyfish

Nomura's jellyfish is a very large rhizostome jellyfish, in the same size class as the lion's mane jellyfish, the largest cnidarian in the world. It is edible but not considered high quality. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Nemopilema. Commonly found in the waters of East Asia, and can negatively effect fisheries due to their large size and quantity. As a form of combating the large blooms, recent studies attempt to find new uses for the large jellyfish such as studying its venom for medical applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stauromedusae</span> Order of jellyfishes

Stauromedusae are the stalked jellyfishes. They are the sole living members of the class Staurozoa and belong to the medusozoa subphylum of Cnidaria. They are unique among medusa jellyfish in that they do not have an alternation of polyp and medusa life cycle phases, but are instead interpreted as an attached medusa stage, with a lifestyle more resembling that of polypoid forms. They have a generally trumpet-shaped body, oriented upside-down in comparison with other jellyfish, with the tentacles projecting upwards, and the stalk located in the centre of the umbrella. Stauromedusae usually has eight marginal arms at the top of the calyx. They reach their adult sizes within several weeks, typically 1 to 4 centimeters in length.

<i>Phacellophora camtschatica</i> Species of jellyfish

Phacellophora camtschatica, commonly known as the fried egg jellyfish or egg-yolk jellyfish, is a very large jellyfish in the family Phacellophoridae. This species can be easily identified by the yellow coloration in the center of its body which closely resembles an egg yolk, hence its common name. Some individuals can have a bell close to 60 cm (2 ft) in diameter, and most individuals have 16 clusters of up to a few dozen tentacles, each up to 6 m (20 ft) long. A smaller jellyfish, Cotylorhiza tuberculata, typically found in warmer water, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, is also popularly called a fried egg jellyfish. Also, P. camtschatica is sometimes confused with the Lion's mane jellyfish.

Strobilisation or transverse fission is a form of asexual reproduction consisting of the spontaneous transverse segmentation of the body. It is observed in certain cnidarians and helminths. This mode of reproduction is characterized by high offspring output, which, in the case of the parasitic tapeworms, is of great significance.

<i>Chrysaora hysoscella</i> Species of jellyfish

Chrysaora hysoscella, the compass jellyfish, is a common species of jellyfish that inhabits coastal waters in temperate regions of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, including the North Sea and Mediterranean Sea. In the past it was also recorded in the southeastern Atlantic, including South Africa, but this was caused by confusion with close relatives; C. africana, C. fulgida and an undescribed species tentatively referred to as "C. agulhensis".

<i>Aurelia</i> (cnidarian) Genus of jellyfish

Aurelia is a genus of jellyfish that are commonly called moon jellies, which are in the class Scyphozoa. There are currently 25 accepted species and many that are still not formally described.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jelly blubber</span> Species of jellyfish

Catostylus mosaicus is also known as the Jelly blubber or Blue blubber jellyfish. The jelly blubber is distinguishable by its color, which ranges from light blue to a dark blue or purple, and its large (250-300mm), rounded bell which pulses in a staccato rhythm. It occurs along the coastline of Eastern Australia in estuaries and shallow bays, and often blooms to high abundance.

<i>Cyanea</i> (jellyfish) Genus of jellyfishes

Cyanea is a genus of jellyfish, primarily found in northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and southern Pacific waters of Australia and New Zealand, there are also several boreal, polar, tropical and sub-tropical species. Commonly found in and associated with rivers and fjords. The same genus name has been given to a genus of plants of the Hawaiian lobelioids, an example of a parahomonym.

<i>Drymonema</i> Genus of jellyfishes

Drymonema is a genus of true jellyfish, placed in its own family, the Drymonematidae. There are three species: Drymonema dalmatinum, Drymonema gorgo, and Drymonema larsoni, which are found in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyanea nozaki</span> Species of jellyfish

Cyanea nozakii or Cyanea nozaki (misspelling), commonly known as the ghost jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish found in the northern Pacific Ocean near the coasts of China and Japan. Along with other species of large jellyfish, it is showing a greater tendency to appear in large numbers and cause blooms.

<i>Sanderia malayensis</i> Species of jellyfish

Sanderia malayensis is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae, native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. It has a complex life cycle and is thought to be venomous and to have caused injuries to humans.

<i>Chrysaora plocamia</i> Species of jellyfish

The South American sea nettle is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. It is found from the Pacific coast of Peru, south along Chile's coast to Tierra del Fuego, and north along the Atlantic coast of Argentina, with a few records from Uruguay. Despite its common name, it is not the only sea nettle in South America. For example, C. lactea is another type of sea nettle in this region. Historically, C. plocamia was often confused with C. hysoscella, a species now known to be restricted to the northeast Atlantic. C. plocamia is a large jellyfish, up to 1 m in bell diameter, although most mature individuals only are 25–40 cm (10–16 in).

<i>Cephea cephea</i> Species of jellyfish

Cephea cephea, also known as the crown jellyfish, or cauliflower jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Cepheidae. It occurs in the tropical waters of the western Indo-Pacific to Northern Australia. The species was first described by Peter Forsskål in 1775 and originally given the name Medusa cephea. It inhabits the pelagic zone of tropical and sub-tropical waters and is most commonly found in the Indo-West Pacific, eastern Atlantic and the Red Sea. Although this species is among the most venomous jellyfish, it is not harmful to humans and is eaten as a delicacy and used for medical purposes in China and Japan. The species can achieve a diameter of up to 60 cm.

References

  1. Collins, A. G.; Jarms, G.; Morandini, A. C. (2022). "World List of Scyphozoa. Aurelia coerulea von Lendenfeld, 1884". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 12 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 Dong, Zhijun; et al. (2018). "Artificial Reefs for Sea Cucumber Aquaculture Confirmed as Settlement Substrates of the Moon Jellyfish Aurelia Coerulea". Hydrobiologia. 818 (1): 223–234. doi:10.1007/s10750-018-3615-y. S2CID   4795258.
  3. 1 2 Stabili, Loredana; et al. (2021). "Jellyfish Bioprospecting in the Mediterranean Sea: Antioxidant and Lysozyme-Like Activities from Aurelia Coerulea (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) Extracts". Marine Drugs. 19 (11): 619. doi: 10.3390/md19110619 . PMC   8625557 . PMID   34822490.
  4. Jin, Hongsung; et al. (2021). "Dissolved Oxygen-and Temperature-Dependent Simulation of the Population Dynamics of Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia Coerulea) Polyps". Diversity. 13 (5): 184. doi: 10.3390/d13050184 .
  5. Marques, Raquel; et al. (2019). "Dynamics and Asexual Reproduction of the Jellyfish Aurelia Coerulea Benthic Life Stage in the Thau Lagoon (Northwestern Mediterranean)". Marine Biology. 166 (6): 1–14. Bibcode:2019MarBi.166...74M. doi:10.1007/s00227-019-3522-4. S2CID   164944239.
  6. Lee, Sun-Hee; et al. (2021). "Contrasting Effects of Regional and Local Climate on the Interannual Variability and Phenology of the Scyphozoan, Aurelia Coerulea and Nemopilema Nomurai in the Korean Peninsula". Diversity. 13 (5): 214. doi: 10.3390/d13050214 .
  7. Dong, Zhijun; et al. (2018). "Effects of Salinity and Temperature on the Recruitment of Aurelia Coerulea Planulae". Marine Biology Research. 14 (5): 454–61. Bibcode:2018MBioR..14..454D. doi:10.1080/17451000.2018.1459725. S2CID   90936268.
  8. Dong, Zhijun; Sun, Tingting (2018). "Combined effects of ocean acidification and temperature on planula larvae of the moon jellyfish Aurelia coerulea". Marine Environmental Research. 139: 144–150. Bibcode:2018MarER.139..144D. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.05.015. PMID   29789135.
  9. Feng, Song; et al. (2018). "Strobilation of Three Scyphozoans (Aurelia Coelurea, Nemopilema Nomurai, and Rhopilema Esculentum) in the Field at Jiaozhou Bay, China". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 591: 141–53, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26502942. Bibcode:2018MEPS..591..141F. doi:10.3354/meps12276.
  10. 1 2 Kamiyama, T. (2018). "Planktonic ciliates as food for the scyphozoan Aurelia coerulea: feeding and growth responses of ephyra and metephyra stages". Journal of Oceanography. 74 (1): 53–63. Bibcode:2018JOce...74...53K. doi:10.1007/s10872-017-0438-9. S2CID   90614849.
  11. 1 2 3 Suzuki, Kentaro S.; et al. (2019). "Seasonal Alternation of the Ontogenetic Development of the Moon Jellyfish Aurelia Coerulea in Maizuru Bay, Japan". PLOS ONE. 14 (11): e0225513. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1425513S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225513 . PMC   6872181 . PMID   31751435.