An enormous new species of scyphozoan jellyfish, Chrysaora achlyos, is described from the eastern Pacific. The description is based primarily on color photographs and video footage of living animals and the morphology of four specimens collected in 1989. The natural history, life cycle, and sporadic appearance of the species all are unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated predation on bivalve veligers by the scyphozoan Chrysaora quinquecirrha and the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. We found that the medusa stage of C. quinquecirrha captures, but does not digest, veliger larvae: 99% of oyster veligers (Crassostrea virginica) caught by medusae were egested alive within 7 h of capture, and 98% survived for 24 h after egestion; 98% of oyster, mussel (Mytilus edulis), and clam (Mulinia lateralis) veligers placed on the oral arms of medusae were rejected; all bivalve veligers in field-collected medusae were closed and full of tissue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cardiotoxicity and polypeptide content of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) polyps and cysts were studied. Crude polyp preparations were lethal to mice. Both crude polyp and cyst preparations were toxic to embryonic chick cardiocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA cutaneous irritation on the exposed surfaces was induced by crab larvae. An abnormal sensation experienced only on exposed skin disappeared when the larval forms were removed. It is to be emphasized that multiple forms of marine animals may produce human cutaneous disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF