Abstract
Vallentinia gabriellae (Hydrozoa) was collected from shallow water in a mangrove wetland along the eastern shore of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Adult (gravid) medusae were collected in September 1990 and October 1990, non-gravid medusa in May 1991, and juvenile and gravid medusae in July 1991. All were observed or collected in the perimeter ditch of a mosquito impoundment (Impoundment 19A) in St. Lucie County, Florida. This impoundment has culverts installec along the perimeter dike that connect impoundment waters with those of the Indian River Lagoon. No specimens were found in other adjoining wetland impoundments or in adjacent lagoon waters. No polyps were found despite intensive field collection efforts. To our knowledge, this represents the first record ofV. gabriellae from the Indian River Lagoon.
Laboratory feeding studies indicate thatV. gabriellae can feed on a variety of zooplankters commonly found in impoundment waters. These data suggest that, when present, this predatory hydrozoan may be an important predator of zooplankton in mangrove wetland food chains. Preliminary data on food selection show some size selectivity in the feeding process.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Carlson, D. B., R. G. Gilmore, and J. R. Rey. 1985. Salt marsh impoundment management on Florida’s central east coast: Reintegrating isolated high marshes to the estuary. p. 47–63.In F. J. Webb (ed.) Proceedings of the 12th Conference on Wetlands Restoration and Creation. Tampa, FL, USA.
Clark, K. B. 1971. The construction of a collecting device for small aquatic organisms and a method for rapid weighing of small invertebrates. Veliger 13:364–367.
Foster, N. R. 1971.Vallentinia, the hitch-hiking jellyfish. Frontiers 36:14–19.
Foster, N. R. 1973. Occurrence ofVallentinia gabriellae (Hydrozoa: Olindiidae) in coastal Yucatan, with notes on its biology and laboratory culture. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 125:69–74.
Gilmore, R. G. 1987. Fish, macrocrustacean and avian population dynamics and cohabitation in tidally-influenced impounded subtropical wetlands. p. 372–394.In W. R. Whitman and W. H. Meredith (eds.) Proceedings of the Symposium on Waterfowl and Wetland Management along the Coastal Zone of the Atlantic Flyway. Delaware Department of Natural Resources, Dover, DE, USA.
Honegger, T. G. 1984. Ultrastructure of the adhesive tentacles of the limnomedusaVallentinia gabriellae (Hydrozoa, Olindiidae). Zoomorphology 104:26–32.
Kramp, P. L. 1959. The hydromedusae of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent waters. Carlsberg Foundation, Dana-Report 46:1–283.
Lytle, C. F. 1964. Reproduction and development of the limnomedusaVallentinia gabrielle. American Zoologist 4:331.
Krumholz, L. A. 1963. Relationships between fertility, sex ratio, and exposure to predation in populations of the mosquitofishGambusia manni Hubbs at Bimini, Bahamas. Internationale Revue der Gesamten Hydrobiologie 48:201–256.
Rey, J. R., R. A. Crossman, T. R. Kain, F. E. Vose, and M. S. Peterson. 1987. Sampling zooplankton in shallow marsh and estuarine habitats: gear description and field tests. Estuaries 10: 61–67.
Rey, J. R., J. Shaffer, R. Crossman, and D. Tremain. 1990. Effects of re-establishing tidal connections in two impounded subtropical marshes on fishes and physical conditions. Wetlands 10:27–45.
Rey, J. R., T. Kain, R. Crossman, M. Peterson, J. Shaffer, and F. Vose. 1991. Zooplankton of impounded marshes and shallow areas of a subtropical lagoon. Florida Scientist 54:191–203.
Rey, J. R., J. Shaffer, T. Kain, and R. Crossman. 1992. Sulfide variation in the pore and surface waters of artificial salt marsh ditches and a natural tidal creek. Estuaries 15:257–269.
Vannuci Mendes, M. 1948. OnVallentinia gabriellae, n. sp. (Limno-medusae). Universidade de São Paulo, Boletins, da Faculdade de Filosofia Ciencias e Letras: Zoologia 13:73–91.
Youngbluth, M. R., R. Gibson, P. Blades, D. Meyer, C. Stephens, and R. Mahoney. 1976. Plankton in the Indian River Lagoon. p. 40–60.In Indian River Coastal Zone Study, 1975. Harbor Branch Consortium, Ft. Pierce, FL, USA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
University of Florida-IFAS, Journal Series No. R-02588.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rey, J.R., Kain, T. & De Freese, D.E. Observations on the feeding behavior and local distribution ofVallentinia gabriellae (Hydrozoa: Olindiidae): A new record from mangrove wetlands of the Indian River Lagoon, Florida. Wetlands 12, 225–229 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160613
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160613