Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Revised descriptions of the nematocysts and the asexual reproduction modes of the scyphozoan jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda (Forskål, 1775)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Zoomorphology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Our investigations on different developmental stages of the jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda (Forskål, 1775) provide updated descriptions of nematocyst types and asexual reproduction modes, which were documented by drawings and high-resolution photographs. In contrast to previous studies that only described three types of nematocysts, we revealed five types: a-isorhizas, O-isorhizas, euryteles, large oval birhopaloids, and small lemon-shaped birhopaloids. Comparisons of undischarged and discharged capsules revealed significantly smaller capsule volumes (48–51 %) in the latter. We provide capsule lengths and widths ranges for each capsule type (undischarged) and developmental stage. We demonstrate that for most capsule types the calculated capsule volumes were positively correlated with the progressing development and increasing size of the five developmental stages, namely bud, polyp, strobila, ephyra, and medusa. O-isorhizas were only present in the latter three stages probably due to a change in diet related to a changing life style. Besides asexual reproduction by swimming buds and monodisc strobilation common in rhizostome Kolpophorae, we documented lateral polyp budding for the first time in this taxon. Our results demonstrate that cultivating living specimens facilitate detailed descriptions of nematocysts and reproductive modes in metagenetic cnidarians, which cannot be achieved by studies on preserved material.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adler L, Jarms J (2009) New insights into reproductive traits of scyphozoans: special methods of propagation in Sanderia malayensis Goette, 1886 (Pelagiidae, Semaeostomeae) enable establishing a new classification of asexual reproduction in the class Scyphozoa. Mar Biol 156:1411–1420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arai MN (2009) The potential importance of podocysts to formation of scyphozoan blooms: a review. Hydrobiologia 616:241–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Astorga D, Ruiz J, Prieto L (2012) Ecological aspects of early life stages of Cotylorhiza tuberculata (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae) affecting its pelagic population success. Hydrobiologia 690:141–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avian M, Del Negro P, Rottini Sandrini L (1991) A comparative analysis of nematocysts in Pelagia noctiluca and Rhizostoma pulmo from the North Adriatic Sea. Hydrobiologia 216(217):615–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bayha KM, Graham WM (2014) Nonindigenous marine jellyfish: invasiveness, invasibility, and impacts. In: Pitt KA, Lucas CH (eds) Jellyfish blooms. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 45–77

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Bolton TF, Graham WM (2006) Jellyfish on the rocks: bioinvasion threat of the international trade in aquarium live rock. Biol Invasion 8:651–653

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calder DR (1973) Laboratory observations on the life history of Rhopilema verrilli (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae). Mar Biol 21:109–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calder DR (1977) Nematocysts of the ephyra stages of Aurelia, Chrysaora, Cyanea, and Rhopilema (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa). Trans Am Microsc Soc 96:13–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calder DR (1983) Nematocysts of stages in the life cycle of Stomolophus meleagris, with keys to scyphistomae and ephyrae of some western Atlantic Scyphozoa. Can J Zool 61:1185–1192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrette T, Alderslade P, Seymour J (2002) Nematocyst ratio and prey in two Australian cubomedusans, Chironex fleckeri and Chiropsalmus sp. Toxicon 40:1547–1551

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Çevik C, Erkol I, Toklu B (2006) A new record of an alien jellyfish from levantine coast of Turkey: Cassiopea andromeda (Forsskål, 1775) [Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Rhizostomea]. Aquat Invasion 1:196–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn DF (1982) Cnidaria. In: Parker SP (ed) Synopsis and classification of living organisms, vol 1. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, pp 669–706

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitt WK, Hofmann DK, Wolk M, Rahat M (1987) Requirement of exogenous inducers for metamorphosis of axenic larvae and buds of Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Mar Biol 94:415–422

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galil BS, Spanier E, Ferguson WW (1990) The Scyphomedusae of the Mediterranean coast of Israel, including two Lessepsian migrants new to Mediterranean. Zool Meded 64:95–105

    Google Scholar 

  • GBIF (2014) Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Museum of Comparative Zoology, National Chemical Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Ocean Biogeographic Information System, iNaturalist.org, and Diveboard. http://www.gbif.org/species/2264603. 26 Oct 2014

  • Godknecht A, Tardent P (1988) Discharge and mode of action of the tentacular nematocysts of Anemonia sulcata (Anthozoa: Cnidaria). Mar Biol 100:83–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gohar HAF, Eisawy AM (1960) The development of Cassiopea andromeda (Scyphomedusae). Publ Mar Biol Sta Ghardaqa Red Sea 1:147–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann DK, Gottlieb M (1991) Bud formation in the Scyphozoa Cassiopea andromeda: epithlial dynamics and fate map. Hydrobiologia 216(217):53–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann DK, Honegger TG (1990) Bud formation and metamorphosis in Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa): a developmental and ultrastructural study. Mar Biol 105:509–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann DK, Kremer BP (1981) Carbon metabolism and strobilation in Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa): significance of endosymbiotic dinoflagellates. Mar Biol 65:25–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann DK, Neumann R, Henne K (1978) Strobilation, budding and initiation of scyphistoma morphogenesis in the rhizostome Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Mar Biol 47:161–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann DK, Fitt WK, Fleck J (1996) Checkpoints in the life-cycle of Cassiopea spp.: control of metagenesis and metamorphosis in a tropical jellyfish. Int J Dev Biol 40:331–338

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Holland BS, Dawson MN, Crow GL, Hofmann DK (2004) Global phylogeography of Cassiopea (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae): molecular evidence of cryptic species and multiple invasions on the Hawaiian Islands. Mar Biol 145:1119–1128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holst S, Sötje I, Tiemann H, Jarms G (2007) Life cycle of the rhizostome jellyfish Rhizostoma octopus (L.) (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae), with studies on cnidocysts and statoliths. Mar Biol 151:1695–1710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarms G, Tiemann H, Båmstedt U (2002) Development and biology of Periphylla periphylla (Scyphozoa: Coronatae) in a Norwegian fjord. Mar Biol 141:647–657

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jensch F, Hofmann DK (1997) The cnidomes of Cassiopea andromeda Forskål, 1775, and Cassiopea xamachana Bigelow, 1882 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference on coelenterate biology. The Leeuwenhorst, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands 16–21 July 1995, pp 279–285

  • Kikinger R (1992) Cotylorhiza tuberculata (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa): life history of a stationary population. Mar Ecol 13:333–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maas O (1903) Die Scyphomedusen der Siboga Expedition. Leiden Buchhandlung und Druckerei. E.J. Brill 11:1–91

  • Manuel RL (1988) British Anthozoa (Coelenterata: Octocorallia and Hexacorallia): keys and notes for the identification of the species. Synopses of the British fauna (New Series). Edited by DM Kermack, RSK Barnes No. 18 (revised). EJ Brill, W Backhuys Leiden. pp 1–241

  • Mariscal RN, Bigger CH (1976) A comparison of putative sensory receptors associated with nematocysts in an anthozoan and a scyphozoan. In: Mackie GO (ed) Coelenterate ecology and behavior. Springer, New York, pp 559–568

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer AG (1910) Medusa of the world. Volume III. The Scyphomedusae. Carnegie institute of Washington, Washington, pp 631–714

    Google Scholar 

  • Morandini AC, Marques AC (2010) Revision of the genus Chrysaora Péron & Lesueur, 1810 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Zootaxa 2464:1–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Morandini AC, Silveira FL, Jarms G (2004) The life cycle of Chrysaora lactea Eschscholtz, 1829 (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) with notes on the scyphistoma stage of three other species. Hydrobiologia 530(531):347–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morandini AC, Silveira FL, Cornelius PFS (2006) Redescription of Chrysaora lactea Eschscholtz, 1829 (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa) from the Brazilian coast, with designation of a neotype. Zootaxa 1135:29–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Neumann R (1979) Bacterial induction of settlement and metamorphosis in the planula larvae of Cassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 1:21–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niggl W, Wild C (2010) Spatial distribution of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea sp. within fringing coral reef environments of the Northern Red Sea: implications for its life cycle. Helgol Mar Res 64:281–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Östman C (1997) Abundance, feeding behavior and nematocysts of scyphopolyps (Cnidaria) and nematocysts in their predator, the nudibranch Coryphella verrucosa (Mollusca). Hydrobiologia 355:21–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Östman C (2000) A guideline of nematocyst nomenclature and classification, and some notes on the systematic value of nematocysts. Sci Mar 64:31–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Östman C, Hydman J (1997) Nematocyst analysis of Cyanea capillata and Cyanea lamarckii (Scyphozoa, Cnidaria). Sci Mar 61:313–344

    Google Scholar 

  • Özgür E, Öztürk B (2008) A population of the alien jellyfish, Cassiopea andromeda (Forsskål, 1775) (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae) in the Ölüdeniz Lagoon, Turkey. Aquat Invasion 3:423–428

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peach MB, Pitt KA (2005) Morphology of the nematocysts of the medusae of two scyphozoans, Catostylus mosaicus and Phyllorhiza punctata (Rhizostomeae): implications for capture of prey. Invertebr Biol 124:98–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce J (2005) A system for mass culture of upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea spp. as a potential food item for medusivores in captivity. Int Zoo Yearb 39:62–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prieto L, Astorga D, Navarro G, Ruiz J (2010) Environmental control of phase transition and polyp survival of a massive-outbreaker jellyfish. Plos One 5:e13793

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell JE, Mills CE (1988) The correlation between nematocysts types and diets in pelagic Hydrozoa. In: Hessinger DA, Lenhoff HM (eds) The biology of nematocysts. Academic Press, Orlando, pp 463–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahat M, Adar O (1980) Effect of symbiotic zooxanthellae and temperature on budding and strobilation in Cassiopea andromeda (Eschscholz). Biol Bull 159:394–401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schembri PJ, Deidun A, Vella PJ (2010) First record of Cassiopea andromeda (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae: Cassiopeidae) from the central Mediterranean Sea. Mar Biodivers Rec 3:1–2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiariti A, Kawahara M, Uye S, Mianzan HW (2008) Life cycle of the jellyfish Lychnorhiza lucerna (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae). Mar Biol 156:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiariti A, Morandini AC, Jarms G, von Glehn Paes R, Franke S, Mianzan H (2014) Asexual reproduction strategies and blooming potential in Scyphozoa. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 510:241–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shick JM (1991) A functional biology of sea anemones. Chapman & Hall, Great Britain

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Straehler-Pohl I (2009) Die Phylogenie der Rhopaliophora (Scyphozoa und Cubozoa) und die Paraphylie der Rhizostomeae. Dissertation, University of Hamburg

  • Weill R (1934a) Contribution à l’étude des cnidaires et de leurs nématocystes. I. Recherches sur les nématocystes (morphologie, physiologie, développement). Trav Stn Zool Wimereux 10:1–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Weill R (1934b) Contribution à l’étude des cnidaires et de leurs nematocysts. II. Valeur taxonomique du cnidome. Trav Stat Zool Wimereux 11:351–701

    Google Scholar 

  • WoRMS (2014) Cassiopea. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=135253.1 Feb 2015

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank PD Dr. Gerhard Jarms (University of Hamburg) and Dr. Lutz Fischer (Klimahaus Bremerhaven) for providing us with Cassiopea andromeda polyps and medusae. We are grateful to Sarah F. Sparmann for English language revision and thank the two reviewers for helpful comments to improve the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

None.

Ethical standards

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted. This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group Animal Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 9-11, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany

    Anneke Heins & Thomas Glatzel

  2. Senckenberg am Meer, German Center for Marine Biodiversity Research, c/o Biocenter Grindel and Zoological Museum, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Sabine Holst

Authors
  1. Anneke Heins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thomas Glatzel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sabine Holst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabine Holst.

Additional information

Communicated by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Heins, A., Glatzel, T. & Holst, S. Revised descriptions of the nematocysts and the asexual reproduction modes of the scyphozoan jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda (Forskål, 1775). Zoomorphology 134, 351–366 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0263-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0263-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation