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Effects of duration at low temperature on asexual reproduction in polyps of the scyphozoan Nemopilema nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae)

Hydrobiologia volume 754, pages97–111(2015)Cite this article

Abstract

In recent decades, massive outbreaks of the giant jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai have been appearing frequently in coastal seas of China. In the life cycle of N. nomurai, asexual reproduction by its benthic polyps may largely determine the jellyfish population size, and it was thought that asexual reproduction leading to medusae might be affected by differences in the duration at low winter temperature on different parts of the coast. To test this hypothesis, polyps were first stored at low temperature for two different durations, 5°C for either 40 or 117 days. They were then maintained at seven temperatures, (maintained at 5°C, and separately elevated to 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 27°C) reached by raising the temperature 1°C every 2 days from 5°C, as well as a control temperature: 5°C. Polyps were fed with three frequencies (once per 5 days, once per 10 days, and unfed, prey concentration, 0.1 mgC l−1, being supplied once). The percentages of polyps strobilating, strobilation duration, ephyra and podocyst production were recorded. The results showed that longer duration at low temperature accelerated strobila formation at warmer temperature, as well as significantly enhancing podocyst production, but not for the strobilation percentage or ephyra production. Temperature had a marked influence on strobilation percentage, as well as on ephyra and podocyst production. The optimum temperature for strobilation by N. nomurai polyps ranged from 10 to 13°C. The maximum numbers of ephyrae appeared after polyps had been stored at longer low temperature then warmed to 10°C and fed once per 5 days, while the maximum production of podocysts occurred in polyps warmed to 27°C and fed once per 5 days. We conclude that longer duration at low temperature in winter, a continuous 10–13°C period in spring, and increasing food supply all accelerate the strobila formation, increase jellyfish production and are tend to increase blooms of N. nomurai medusae.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Miss Zhenghua Zhang and Dr. Mengtan Liu for caring for the polyps for several days. We are grateful to the fishermen of the ship ‘Lulao Yu 2030’ for their efforts in sampling Nemopilema nomurai adults for fertilization in the field, also to the people who provided support and help in our experiments and samplings. This research was provided by National Key Fundamental Developing Project No. 2011CB403601, the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences XDA11020305, and NSFC project (41230963) to S. Sun, and NSFC (40606036) to F. Zhang. Song Feng and Fang Zhang contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors. We are grateful to two anonymous referees for suggesting important improvements.

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    Affiliations

    1. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, 266071, People’s Republic of China
      • Song Feng
      • , Fang Zhang
      • , Song Sun
      •  & Chaolun Li
    2. Jiaozhou Bay Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Chinese Ecosystem Research Network, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, 266071, People’s Republic of China
      • Song Sun
      •  & Shiwei Wang
    3. Graduate University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, People’s Republic of China
      • Song Feng
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    Correspondence to Song Sun.

    Additional information

    Song Feng and Fang Zhang contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors.

    Guest editors: Song Sun, Xiaoxia Sun & Ian Jenkinson / Giant Jellyfish Blooms and Ecosystem Change

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    Feng, S., Zhang, F., Sun, S. et al. Effects of duration at low temperature on asexual reproduction in polyps of the scyphozoan Nemopilema nomurai (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae). Hydrobiologia 754, 97–111 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2173-9

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    Keywords

    • Jellyfish bloom
    • Podocyst
    • Strobilation
    • Feeding frequency