Observations on the Surface Structure of Aurelia solida (Scyphozoa) Polyps and Medusae

Turk, Valentina; Fortič, Ana; Kramar, Maja Kos; Žnidarič, Magda Tušek; Štrus, Jasna; Kostanjšek, Rok; Malej, Alenka

doi:10.3390/d13060244

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The occurrence of microbes in mucus samples was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) And Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) microscopy analysis; however, they have not been found on the epithelial surfaces of polyps or on the exumbrella of jellyfish (the external part of the umbrella) (Turk et al, 2021).…”

Section: Evolution Of the Mucus Layermentioning

confidence: 93%

Mucus secretions in Cnidarian, an ecological, adaptive and evolutive tool

et al. 2022

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Mucus secretion provides an interface with unique and multifunctional properties between the epithelial cells of many aquatic organisms and their surrounding environment. Indeed, mucus is involved in various essential biological processes including feeding, reproduction, osmoregulation, competition for space, defense against pathogens, xenobiotics, and a multitude of environmental stressors. The ability to produce a functional mucus layer is an important evolutionary step, arising first in Cnidaria that allowed for the development of the mucus-lined digestive cavity seen in higher metazoans. Mucus secretion by cnidarians has been moderately investigated in both corals and jellyfish, which among cnidarians are the ones that have shown the highest secretion rates to date. However, although in corals the production of mucus has received more attention, especially in view of the important ecological role played in coral reefs, in medusozoans the topic is little considered. Although the mucus secreted by corals has innumerable and important immunological, nutritional, and protective responsibilities, it should be remembered that jellyfish too represent a fundamental component of marine trophic web, playing numerous and important roles that are still unclear today. What is certain is that jellyfish are characterized (especially in the era of climate change) by large fluctuations in population density, the ecological implications of which are poorly understood. However, in both cases (Medusozoans and Anthozoans) to date some aspects relating to mucous secretions seem completely obscure, such as the microbiome and its variations as a function of environmental conditions or ontogenetic development, its implications in the field of immunological ecology, the consequent energy costs and finally the role played by the mucus in evolutionary terms. This review summarizes the properties, functions, ecological implications and evolutionary importance of mucus, in cnidarians, mainly focusing its roles in corals and jellyfish. Understanding these aspects relating to the ecological and evolutionary importance played by mucus is of fundamental importance for the ecosystems functioning.

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Section: Evolution Of the Mucus Layermentioning

confidence: 93%

Mucus secretions in Cnidarian, an ecological, adaptive and evolutive tool

et al. 2022

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“…The speci c microbial community is assumed to be essential for the sessile life stage (28). Here, the bacteria most likely use the polyp's mucus as a source of nutrients (28,53,54). We observed that polyps with naturally associated native microbiota and sterile polyps after recolonization harbored similar microbial communities with comparable diversity, unlike the bacterial population kept in arti cial seawater (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Asexual reproduction of Aurelia aurita depends on the presence of a balanced microbiome at polyp stage

Jensen

Weiland‐Bräuer

Joel

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The Cnidarian Aurelia aurita undergoes a complex life cycle alternating between the benthic polyp to the pelagic medusa. In absence of its natural microbiome, the asexual reproduction of this jellyfish is severely comprised, with limited strobilation and ephyrae release, whereas the recolonization of sterile polyps can restore this defect. Yet, the timing and molecular consequences of the microbiome during the strobilation process had not been investigated. Here, we demonstrate that a microbiota must be present at the polyp stage, before strobilation is initiated, to ensure normal asexual reproduction and a successful polyp-to-jellyfish transition. Addition of a microbiota at later stages of sterile animals failed to restore the defected process. Absence of a microbiome was accompanied with reduced transcription of developmental and strobilation genes. The transcription of strobilation genes was exclusively observed for native and recolonized polyps, pointing to the microbiome's impact on the strobilation process at the molecular level. Moreover, direct cell contact between the host and the bacteria was required for the generation of normal offspring. Overall, this study demonstrates that the timing of the host-microbe interaction in this developmental animal model is crucial, with the microbial impact being essential at the polyp stage, to ensure normal polyp-to-jellyfish transition.

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“…A study on development and phenotypic plasticity in medusae of L. lucerna and Cassiopea andromeda considered that the flow promoted by the cilia could decrease the effect of the boundary layer around the filtering structures of the oral arms (digitata) and potentially increase the filtered volume (Jordano et al, 2020), although this has yet to be tested experimentally. Turk et al (2021) described the epidermis of polyps and medusae of Aurelia solida Browne, 1905 ('Semeaeostomeae'), and mentioned different types of cilia on the epidermis of these two life forms.…”

Section: Motile Cilia In Medusozoa: Review and New Insightsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Turk et al . (2021) described the epidermis of polyps and medusae of Aurelia solida Browne, 1905 (‘Semeaeostomeae’), and mentioned different types of cilia on the epidermis of these two life forms.…”

Section: Motile Cilia In Medusozoamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Section III showed that the existing literature (Nielsen, 1987) has neglected the presence of cilia in cnidarians. However, we found evidence for the presence of a ciliated epidermis within Cnidaria (with the exception of Myxozoa; Canning & Okamura, 2004), with examples in Anthozoa (Wainwright & Koehl, 1976; Chia & Crawford, 1977; Shapiro et al ., 2014), Hydrozoa (Mackie et al ., 1989; Colin et al ., 2005), Cubozoa (Golz & Thurm, 1993), Staurozoa (Larson, 1980; Dawson & Hamner, 2009; Miranda et al ., 2016), and Scyphozoa (Smith, 1936; Southward, 1949, 1955; Chia et al ., 1984a; Heeger & Möller, 1987; Larson, 1987, 1997; Nagata et al ., 2016; Turk et al ., 2021; Avian et al ., 2022). The presence of this epidermis and its specific functions in the different taxa are little known and often neglected.…”

Section: Feeding Phases In Medusaementioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of the role played by cilia in medusozoan feeding mechanics

Jordano,

Nagata,

Morandini

2024

Biological Reviews

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Cilia are widely present in metazoans and have various sensory and motor functions, including collection of particles through feeding currents in suspensivorous animals. Suspended particles occur at low densities and are too small to be captured individually, and therefore must be concentrated. Animals that feed on these particles have developed different mechanisms to encounter and capture their food. These mechanisms occur in three phases: (i) encounter; (ii) capture; and (iii) particle handling, which occurs by means of a cilia‐generated current or the movement of capturing structures (e.g. tentacles) that transport the particle to the mouth. Cilia may be involved in any of these phases. Some cnidarians, as do other suspensivorous animals, utilise cilia in their feeding mechanisms. However, few studies have considered ciliary flow when examining the biomechanics of cnidarian feeding. Anthozoans (sessile cnidarians) are known to possess flow‐promoting cilia, but these are absent in medusae. The traditional view is that jellyfish capture prey only by means of nematocysts (stinging structures) and mucus, and do not possess cilia that collect suspended particles. Herein, we first provide an overview of suspension feeding in invertebrates, and then critically analyse the presence, distribution, and function of cilia in the Cnidaria (mainly Medusozoa), with a focus on particle collection (suspension feeding). We analyse the different mechanisms of suspension feeding and sort them according to our proposed classification framework. We present a scheme for the phases of pelagic jellyfish suspension feeding based on this classification. There is evidence that cilia create currents but act only in phases 1 and 3 of suspension feeding in medusozoans. Research suggests that some scyphomedusae must exploit other nutritional sources besides prey captured by nematocysts and mucus, since the resources provided by this diet alone are insufficient to meet their energy requirements. Therefore, smaller particles and prey may be captured through other phase‐2 mechanisms that could involve ciliary currents. We hypothesise that medusae, besides capturing prey by nematocysts (present in the tentacles and oral arms), also capture small particles with their cilia, therefore expanding their trophic niche and suggesting reinterpretation of the trophic role of medusoid cnidarians as exclusively plankton predators. We suggest further study of particle collection by ciliary action and its influence on the biomechanics of jellyfishes, to expand our understanding of the ecology of this group.

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Observations on the Surface Structure of Aurelia solida (Scyphozoa) Polyps and Medusae

Cited by 6 publications

References 67 publications

Mucus secretions in Cnidarian, an ecological, adaptive and evolutive tool

Mucus secretions in Cnidarian, an ecological, adaptive and evolutive tool

Asexual reproduction of Aurelia aurita depends on the presence of a balanced microbiome at polyp stage

A review of the role played by cilia in medusozoan feeding mechanics

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