| Drymonema larsoni | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Scyphozoa |
| Order: | Semaeostomeae |
| Family: | Drymonematidae |
| Genus: | Drymonema |
| Species: | D. larsoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Drymonema larsoni Bayha & Dawson, 2010 | |
Drymonema larsoni, known as the pink meanie, is a species of jellyfish belonging to the class Scyphozoa (true jellyfish). Following a mass sighting in 2000 in the Gulf of Mexico, the species and the rest of its genus were classified as their own family (Drymonematidae), a new subset of Scyphozoa. [1] They were originally thought to be a member of the same family as the lion's mane jellyfish, Cyanea capillata, but they were shown to have morphological and molecular differences. [2] Drymonema larsoni prey heavily upon jellyfish species belonging to the genus Aurelia, and they play an important role in controlling the population of these species. [2]
Drymonema larsoni is notable for its large size, with a bell up to 70 cm (2.3 ft) in diameter and extensive, elaborate oral arms and tentacles that extend 25 to 30 m (80 to 100 ft). [2] These structures are key adaptations for predation, as tentacles create a large "fishing volume" to capture prey while oral arms trap and digest multiple items simultaneously. Larger individuals (those with a bell diameter greater than 100 mm (3.9 in)) are near-obligate predators of Aurelia spp., though smaller individuals primarily feed on zooplankton. [2]
