The Medusa of Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hydrozoa, Chondrophorae)
A mature medusa of Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758) is reported for the first time from the North Atlantic; previously adult medusae were known only from the Mediterranean. This specimen, collected by SCUBA divers, is the largest specimen recorded to date. Distinctive features are: two opposite adax...
| Published in: | Journal of Plankton Research |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
1980
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| Online Access: | http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/2/3/183 https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/2.3.183 |
| Summary: | A mature medusa of Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758) is reported for the first time from the North Atlantic; previously adult medusae were known only from the Mediterranean. This specimen, collected by SCUBA divers, is the largest specimen recorded to date. Distinctive features are: two opposite adaxial-axial pairs of perradial capitate tentacles; two marginal bulbs lacking tentacles; conical manubrium with 4 perradial longitudinal gonads; perradial exumbrellar cnidae tracts; cnidome of stenoteles and macrobasic euryteles; and zooxanthellae within the subumbrella. Since this specimen was collected near the surface and has zooxanthellae, it is likely that V. velella medusae are epipelagic. |
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