The Medusa of Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hydrozoa, Chondrophorae)

• Published in: Journal of Plankton Research
• Main Author: Larson, Ronald J.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1980
• Subjects: Articles; Medusa; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/2/3/183; https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/2.3.183

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.