Reappearance and seasonality of Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae) medusae in southern Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The scyphozoan Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884 (Mastigiidae), known only from IndoPacific waters prior to the 1950s, is today found far from its original distribution, probably due to human activities. First seen in 1955 in Brazilian waters, medusae were found in southern and southeastern coasts, disappearing (at least as a medusa) in the early 1960's. Another population was found in the late 1990's, in the state of Bahia, and again in late 2001, many sightings were reported along the coasts of Paraná and Santa Catarina (25º20'S, 48º12'W to 27º26'S, 48º22'W). A large summer bloom, followed by decline and disappearance in winter and spring, occurs every year since then. The reasons for this recent mass occurrence are unknown. Despite few scattered records of the species in Brazil, it is probably widespread, occurring from the coast of Ceará (3º43'S, 38º28'W), in the northeast, to Santa Catarina, in the south.

Increasing jellyfish populations: trends in Large Marine Ecosystems

“…However, the possibility of repeated detection persists due to potential establishment by cryptic polyps or successive invasions, as is likely with Phyllorhiza sp. in the South Brazil Shelf LME (Haddad & Nogueira, 2006). The possibility also exists that invasive species of jellyfish could cause a reduction in native jellyfish biomass.…”

The growth of jellyfishes

“…ELEFAN, the Wetherall plot, and the direct nonlinear fitting of the VBGF all assume that shrinkage García & Durbin (1993), García (1990), and Haddad & Noqueira (2006) Here, a and b refer to the y-intercept and the slope of log transformed length weight relationship of the form W = aL b , respectively, while N refers to the number of individuals considered in the regression analyses, and r is the square of the regression's coefficient of determination. Values of the length-weight relationship coefficient a with * were adjusted to weight in grams and bell diameter in cm.…”

Seasonal variation of macromedusae (Cnidaria) at North Bay, Florianópolis, southern Brazil

“…As part of an ongoing study of the jellyfish of southern Brazil (HADDAD & NOGUEIRA JR 2006, NOGUEIRA JR & HADDAD 2006a, NAGATA et al 2009), we have identified the dominant species in the North Bay and estimated their seasonal distribution and abundance in 2005, based on bottom trawl samples. Currently, unprecedented population explosions are being recorded worldwide (e.g.…”