Benthic scavengers and predators of jellyfish, material for a review

Abstract

Abstract:Instances of predation and scavenging of jellyfish (pelagic Scyphozoa, Hydrozoa and Ctenophora) by benthic invertebrates are reviewed and presented. Sea anemones and decapod crabs are widespread as well as common predators or scavengers of jellyfish. Dead or dying jellyfish are also preyed upon by species of Echinodermata.

A Paradigm Shift in the Trophic Importance of Jellyfish?

“…Even more opportunistically, mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) have been photographed at the surface feeding on extensive blooms of the hydrozoan Velella velella which illustrates that the trophic pathways of jellyfish can even extend beyond the marine environment [33]. Recent work is also shedding new light on how pelagic invertebrates, many themselves jellyfish, will routinely feed on jellyfish [34][35][36], supporting a recent review of benthic scavengers and predators of jellyfish which collated many historical and some recent records of invertebrates feeding on jellyfish, mostly anemones, decapod crustaceans and echinoderms [37]. A parasitic variation on this theme is the use of jellyfish as reproductive habitat by hyperiid amphipods, with bell tissue serving as food for both adults and emergent offspring [38].…”

Sinking of Gelatinous Zooplankton Biomass Increases Deep Carbon Transfer Efficiency Globally

“…While sinking through the water column, jelly-C is partially or totally remineralized as dissolved organic/inorganic carbon and nutrients (DOC, DIC, DON, DOP, DIN, and DIP;Chelsky et al, 2015;Sweetman et al, 2016;West et al, 2009), and any left overs further experience microbial decomposition or are scavenged by macrofauna and megafauna once on the seabed (Sweetman et al, 2014;Tinta et al, 2016). Despite the high lability of jelly-C (Ates, 2017;Sweetman et al, 2016), a remarkably large amount of biomass arrives at the seabed below 1,000 m. During sinking, jelly-C biochemical composition changes via shifts in C:N:P ratios as observed in experimental studies (Frost et al, 2012;Sempere et al, 2000;Titelman et al, 2006). Yet realistic jelly-C transfer estimates at the global scale remain in their infancy, preventing a quantitative assessment of the contribution to the biological carbon soft-tissue pump.…”

Species–specific crab predation on the hydrozoan clinging jellyfish Gonionemus sp. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), subsequent crab mortality, and possible ecological consequences

“…Cnidarian jellyfish predators include sea turtles, fish, molluscs, chaetognaths, ctenophores, and other cnidarians ( Arai, 2005 ; Ates, 2017 ). Most of these examples involve predation on scyphozoan jellyfish, but predators of hydrozoan jellyfish (inclusive of siphonophores and Velella hydroids) include fish (e.g., Brodeur, Lorz & Pearcy, 1987 ); birds ( McInnes et al, 2017 ); hyperiid amphipods (e.g., Sheader & Evans, 1975 ; Williams & Robins, 1981 ); shrimp ( Heffernan & Hopkins, 1981 ; Roe, 1984 ; Nishida, Pearcy & Nemoto, 1988 ; Moore, Rainbow & Larson, 1993 ); barnacles ( Bieri, 1966 ); spiny lobster phyllosoma larvae ( Wakabayashi et al, 2012 ); nudibranchs and heteropods ( Sentz-Braconnot & Carre, 1966 ; Seapy, 1980 ); scyphozoan jellyfish ( Purcell, 1991a ; Purcell, 1997 ; Båmstedt, Ishii & Martlnussen, 1997 ; Arai & Jacobs, 1980 ); and even other hydrozoans ( Arai & Jacobs, 1980 ; Purcell, 1981 ; Purcell, 1991b ).…”

“…A likely potential impact of invasive jellyfish is through alteration of native food webs, often thought to manifest through predation and competition ( Pauly et al, 2009 ; Graham & Bayha, 2008 ). Jellyfish are less often thought of as prey ( Arai & Jacobs, 1980 ; Arai, 2005 ; Ates, 2017 ) and are sometimes assumed to be trophic dead-ends ( Sommer et al, 2002 ; Lynam et al, 2006 ; Yamamoto et al, 2008 ; Condon et al, 2011 ), but this paradigm is changing ( Cardona et al, 2012 ; Diaz-Briz et al, 2017 ; McInnes et al, 2017 ).…”