Chrysaora melanaster

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Northern sea nettle
Chrysaora jelly.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Semaeostomeae
Family: Pelagiidae
Genus: Chrysaora
Species:
C. melanaster
Binomial name
Chrysaora melanaster
(Brandt, 1835)
Synonyms
  • Chrysaora depressa(Kishinouye 1902)

Chrysaora melanaster, commonly known as the northern sea nettle or brown jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish native to the northern Pacific Ocean and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. It is sometimes referred to as a Pacific sea nettle, but this name is also used for C. fuscescens ; the name Japanese sea nettle was also used for this species, but that name now exclusively refers to C. pacifica . [1] [2] Although jellyfish kept in public aquariums sometimes are referred to as C. melanaster, this is the result of the historical naming confusion and these actually are C. pacifica. [3]

Contents

Description

Chrysaora melanaster Chrysaora melanaster by Vincent Eisfeld.jpg
Chrysaora melanaster

The medusa of the northern sea nettle can reach 60 cm (2 ft) in diameter with tentacles growing up to 3 m (10 ft). [4] [5] The number of tentacles is up to 24 (three per octant). [1] It dwells at depths of up to 100 meters, where it feeds on copepods, larvaceans, small fish, large zooplankton, and other jellies. [5] The sting is mild, although can cause serious skin irritation and burning. [6] The lifespan is unknown. [7]

Habitat

The northern sea nettle is found in open water of temperate northern Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean and especially the Bering Sea. [7]

A brown jellyfish swimming

Ecology

Pollock can be both the food of the northern sea nettle and also the competitor for potentially limited sources of prey. [8]

Status

The total biomass of the northern sea nettle has increased in recent years as climate change has caused a more stable and productive surface layer. [8] This increased stability of the water column would also have contributed to the warmer surface temperatures found in late summer in the 1990s, leading to increased growth and survival of the northern sea nettle.

Related Research Articles

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

The Atlantic sea nettle, also called the East Coast sea nettle in the United States, is a species of jellyfish that inhabits the Atlantic coast of the United States. Historically it was confused with several Chrysaora species, resulting in incorrect reports of C. quinquecirrha from other parts of the Atlantic and other oceans. Most recently, C. chesapeakei of estuaries on the Atlantic coast of the United States, as well as the Gulf of Mexico, was only fully recognized as separate from C. quinquecirrha in 2017. It is smaller than the Pacific sea nettle, and has more variable coloration, but is typically pale, pinkish or yellowish, often with radiating more deeply colored stripes on the exumbrella, especially near the margin.

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

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<i>Chrysaora</i> Genus of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae

Chrysaora is a genus of jellyfish, commonly called the sea nettles, in the family Pelagiidae. The origin of the genus name Chrysaora lies in Greek mythology with Chrysaor, brother of Pegasus and son of Poseidon and Medusa. Translated, Chrysaor means "he who has a golden armament."

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<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>Chrysaora fuscescens</i> Species of cnidarian

The Pacific sea nettle, or West Coast sea nettle, is a widespread planktonic scyphozoan cnidarian—or medusa, “jellyfish” or “jelly”—that lives in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, in temperate to cooler waters off of British Columbia and the West Coast of the United States, ranging south to México. The Pacific sea nettle earned its common name in-reference to its defensive, ‘nettle’-like sting; much like the stinging nettle plant, the sea nettle’s defensive sting is often irritating to humans, though rarely dangerous.

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

Chrysaora colorata (Russell), commonly known as the purple-striped jelly, is a species of jellyfish that exists primarily off the coast of California from Bodega Bay to San Diego. The bell (body) of the jellyfish is up to 70 cm (2.3 ft) in diameter, typically with a radial pattern of stripes. The tentacles vary with the age of the individual, consisting typically of eight marginal long dark arms, and four central frilly oral arms. It is closely studied by scientists due to not much being known about their eating habits. A 15-foot-long specimen has been seen.

<i>Porpita porpita</i> Species of hydrozoan

Porpita porpita, or the blue button, is a marine organism consisting of a colony of hydroids found in the warmer, tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Arabian Sea. It was first identified by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, under the basionym Medusa porpita. In addition, it is one of the two genera under the suborder Chondrophora, which is a group of cnidarians that also includes Velella. The chondrophores are similar to the better-known siphonophores, which includes the Portuguese man o' war, or Physalia physalis. Although it is superficially similar to a jellyfish, each apparent individual is actually a colony of hydrozoan polyps. The taxonomic class, Hydrozoa, falls under the phylum Cnidaria, which includes anemones, corals, and jellyfish, which explains their similar appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jellyfish dermatitis</span> Medical condition

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<i>Stygiomedusa</i> Species of jellyfish

Stygiomedusa gigantea, commonly known as the giant phantom jelly, is the only species in the monotypic genus of deep sea jellyfish, Stygiomedusa. It is in the Ulmaridae family. With only around 110 sightings in 110 years, it is a jellyfish that is rarely seen, but believed to be widespread throughout the world, with the exception of the Arctic Ocean.

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

Chrysaora pacifica, commonly named the Japanese sea nettle, is a jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. This common species is native to the northwest Pacific Ocean, including Japan and Korea, but it was formerly confused with the larger and more northerly distributed C. melanaster. As a consequence, individuals kept in public aquariums have often been mislabelled as C. melanaster. The medusae of C. pacifica typically has a bell with a diameter of 15–21 cm (5.9–8.3 in). Its sting is strong and can be dangerous to humans.

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

Chrysaora chinensis, or the Indonesian sea nettle, is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. It is native to the central Indo-Pacific region and its sting is considered dangerous.

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

Chrysaora lactea is a species of sea nettle in the family Pelagiidae. This jellyfish has a bell diameter of up to 25 cm (10 in), and it is native to the Atlantic coast of South America. It has also been reported from the Caribbean region, but genetic studies indicate that this population is closer to C. chesapeakei. A comprehensive taxonomic review is necessary to resolve this matter.

<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>Chrysaora fulgida</i> Species of jellyfish

Chrysaora fulgida, the Benguela compass jelly, is a species of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. Found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of South Africa, its taxonomy has historically caused considerable confusion. Like other sea nettles, its sting is painful, but not generally dangerous unless there is an allergic reaction to the venom.

Chrysaora africana, the purple compass jelly, is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. Found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean from Gabon to the western coast of South Africa, its taxonomy has historically caused considerable confusion. Like other sea nettles, its sting is painful, but not generally dangerous unless there is an allergic reaction to the venom.

Chrysaora pentastoma is a species of jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae. This small sea nettle has a strong sting and it is found in coastal waters of eastern South Australia.

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

Chrysaora chesapeakei is a sea nettle from the family Pelagiidae. It was shown to be a distinct species from Chrysaora quinquecirrha in 2017. Since then, it is also commonly known as the bay nettle. It is mainly found in the Chesapeake Bay and along the East Coast of the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 Morandini, André C.; Marques, Antonio C. (2010). "Revision of the genus Chrysaora Péron & Lesueur, 1810 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)". Zootaxa. 2464: 1–97. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2464.1.1.
  2. "Fact Sheet: Japanese Sea Nettle" (PDF). Shedd Aquarium. Retrieved 3 October 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. Gaffney, Patrick M.; Collins, Allen G.; Bayha, Keith M. (2017-10-13). "Multigene phylogeny of the scyphozoan jellyfish family Pelagiidae reveals that the common U.S. Atlantic sea nettle comprises two distinct species (Chrysaora quinquecirrha and C. chesapeakei)". PeerJ. 5: e3863. doi: 10.7717/peerj.3863 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   5642265 . PMID   29043109.
  4. CNET news, Chrysaora melanaster, from "Census of Marine Life reveals hidden life in oceans" article (October 5, 2010).
  5. 1 2 "Sea Nettle: Chrysaora melanaster". Census of Marine Life Arctic Ocean Diversity project. August 20, 2010.
  6. "Jellies Invasion: Explore Online". National Aquarium in Baltimore. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Sea Nettle: Chrysaora melanaster Brandt, 1838" . Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  8. 1 2 R.D, Brodeur (2002). "Increases in jellyfish biomass in the Bering Sea: Implications for the ecosystem" (PDF). Marine Ecology Progress Series. 233: 89–103. doi: 10.3354/meps233089 .