Planktonic associations between medusae (classes Scyphozoa and Hydrozoa) and epifaunal crustaceans

Abstract

Jellyfish are known to carry various epibionts, including many of the subphylum Crustacea. However, the associations between gelatinous zooplankton and other invertebrates have been chronically overlooked. Crustacea, a massive clade of economically, ecologically, and culturally important species, includes many taxa that utilize gelatinous zooplankton for food, transport, and protection as both adults and juveniles. Here we compile 211 instances of epifaunal crustaceans recorded on Hydromedusae and Scyphomedusae from a century of literature. These include 78 identified crustacean species in 65 genera across nine orders found upon 37 Hydromedusa species and 48 Scyphomedusae. The crustacean life stage, location, nature of the association with the medusa, years, months, and depths are compiled to form a comprehensive view of the current state of the literature. Additionally, this review highlights areas where the current literature is lacking, particularly noting our poor understanding of the relationships between juvenile crabs of commercially valuable species and medusae.

Atmospheric-ocean coupling drives prevailing and synchronic dispersal patterns of marine species with long pelagic durations

“…We showed evidence of a synchronic interannual pattern involving different LPDS (LSI vs. JSI, R 2 = 0.65; p-value = 0.005, n = 10). This synchrony in coastal arrival, explained largely through physical forces, supports the observed association between stinging jellyfish and lobster phyllosoma, which may use the umbrella of the jellyfish as a shelter, food source and transport vector [42].…”

New Records of Callinectes sapidus (Crustacea, Portunidae) from Malta and the San Leonardo River Estuary in Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

“…Callinectes sapidus is characterised by a long planktonic larval development, which may last a couple of weeks [26,34,67], while its megalopa is able to actively swim against the current flow in search of estuarine water [71,72]. Moreover, C. sapidus has been associated with jellyfish species [73][74][75]. A recent study in the north-western Gulf of Mexico, which forms part of its native range, C. sapidus megalopae, and in some instances small juveniles, have been recorded on Medusa, of Chrysaora chesapeakei (Papenfuss, 1936) (Cnidaria: Pelagiidae), with an occurrence ranging from 1 to 301 individuals of C. sapidus megalopae per jellyfish [75].…”

Raising Awareness of the Severity of “Contactless Stings” by Cassiopea Jellyfish and Kin

“…Rhizostome jellyfish species (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae) are united in a well-supported clade [ 1 ]. The medusa form of the different rhizostome species possesses multiple mouths as pores distributed along their eight fused oral arms [ 2 ], and can be observed in abundance along the coasts of every continent [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. While they have long been understudied from an ecological perspective, they include high impact [ 8 ] commercially harvested species [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], and are common in many areas with substantial ecotourism [ 12 ].…”