Recent moon jelly (Aurelia sp.1) blooms in Korean coastal waters suggest global expansion: examples inferred from mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences

Abstract

Ki, J-S., Hwang, D-S., Shin, K., Yoon, W. D., Lim, D., Kang, Y. S., Lee, Y., and Lee, J-S. 2008. Recent moon jelly (Aurelia sp.1) blooms in Korean coastal waters suggest global expansion: examples inferred from mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 443–452. The moon jelly Aurelia was found recently in Korean coastal environments, and its dense blooms caused economic losses for fisheries and power plants. The species is tentatively recognized as Aurelia aurita; yet, its identity and origin remain elusive. To find reliable molecular evidence for its identity, we determined the DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene and nuclear ITS-5.8S rDNA of specimens collected from different Korean locations. We compared the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA data among specimens and demonstrated that all Korean Aurelia have an identical genotype. BLAST searches demonstrated that the Korean Aurelia matched the previously designated Aurelia sp.1. Parsimony and relevant phylogenetic analyses of the genus Aurelia demonstrated that the genotypes of Korean, Japanese, and Californian Aurelia sp.1 were nearly identical (>99.6% similarity), whereas they were significantly different (<84.1% similarity) from other Aurelia. This suggests that Aurelia sp.1, which occur in the three regions, are descendants of a single population and may have dispersed from one location. However, the dispersal time and origin of Aurelia sp.1 still remain uncertain.

Natural predators of polyps of Aurelia aurita s.l. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Semaeostomeae) and their predation rates

“…(see Dawson & Martin 2001, Dawson 2003, Ki et al 2008 for cryptic species of this genus), is the most common scyphozoan jellyfish species in the world s temperate coastal waters. It has frequently caused problematic blooms, particularly in waters with significant anthropogenic impacts such as fish stock depletion, eutrophication and marine constructions (e.g., Graham 2001, Dong et al 2010, Uye 2011, Purcell 2012.…”

A report on a Moon Jellyfish Aurelia aurita bloom in Sishili Bay, Northern Yellow Sea of China in 2009

“…Seto Inland Sea, Tokyo Bay, Korea, Taiwan) up to the northern European waters (e.g. Kertinge Nor, Gullmarfjord and Elefsis Bay) (Lucas, 2001;Uye et al, 2003;Ki et al, 2008;Lo et al, 2008a). Moon Jellyfish A. aurita blooms also occurred in the harbors and coastal waters in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea in China where they have been a nuisance for local tourism and coastal power plants (Su, 2007;Liu, 2008;Lu, 2009 (Lu, 2009).…”

Combined effects of food supply and temperature on asexual reproduction and somatic growth of polyps of the common jellyfish Aurelia aurita s.l.

“…(see Dawson & Martin 2001, Dawson 2003, Ki et al 2008, for sibling species of this genus) is the most common scyphozoan species and often blooms to cause detrimental effects on human enterprises (Yasuda 2003). Particularly, in East Asian coastal waters the blooms of A. aurita have been associated with problems of operating power plants and commercial fisheries.…”