Cephea cephea is one of the species in the family Cepheidae and genus Cephea. Cephea cephea, the crowned jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish from the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific to Northern Australia[1]. The genus Cephea has similar morphological features to Netrostoma, with slight differences that make them different. This species was first discovered by Forskål in 1775 and originally given the name Medusa cephea.

Sophiecampbell2021/sandbox
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Rhizostomeae
Family: Cepheidae
Genus: Cephea
Species:
C. cephea
Binomial name
Cephea cephea

Ecology edit

Found in warm, tropical bodies of water, with a living temperature range of 15-30°C[2]. Cephea Cephea can be found widely distributed in the Indo West Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea to the Touamotu Archipelago [3]. They live usually closer to the coast but can also be found in open waters from water currents because they a tropical or sub-tropical inhabitants[4]. They have a vertical movement caused by either a daily rhythm or environmental change[4]. They stay in deep water during the day and move towards surface water at night[5].

Morphology edit

General Morphology edit

A general morphology includes a hard gelatinous body, complicated oral arms, small secondary mouths on the oral arms, feeding on small zooplankton using suctional mouths and high swimming ability[4].

Specific Morphology edit

When alive, it has a lilac or purple coloring and is about 250 mm wide in total[6]. The bell itself is about 100-120 mm wide and 30-40 mm high, separated by a deep annular furrow[7]. A defining feature is large, pointed warts along the central dome with seven smaller, similar structures along as well[6]. Small brown colored spots surround the base and the majority of the bell is a yellowish-brown color[6]. They have seventy marginal lappets but only seven to nine are seen in each octet[6]. This species is distinguished by long, conical filaments, deep clefts in the bell, velar lappets brought together by a thin web and the brown bell coloring[7].

Life Cycle edit

Reproduction edit

This species reproduces asexually, with a mono-mode reproduction strategy that only develops free-swimming buds[8]. They have no other methods of reproduction and are sensitive to cold temperatures[9]. This is why they are found very commonly in the mid-spring to summer months, but are absent from winter to early-spring months.

Budding edit

Buds are formed as diverticula underneath the calyx, where some buds change to a scyphistoma-form, detach, and attach to the bottom with very little to no swimming at all[2]. There is normally only one bud; when two form, they will be on top of each other, with the older one on the bottom[2].

Strobilation edit

Strobilation causes the calyx to change colors to a pale yellow or brown. Cephea cephea polyps host zooxanthellae in their tissues, which helps with strobilation[8]. The perradial and interradial tentacles absorb but the aradial tentacles remain[2]. Eight ephyral lappets are then formed, but are not fully functional which begins active contraction of the ephyra.

Ephyra and Young Medusa edit

 
Beginning of ephyra stage
 
Medusa stage

The formed ephyra develop into young medusa in nine different stages. Starting with (1) ephyra structure, (2) color change, (3) contour change of marginal lappets, (4) number increases and distribution pattern of gastral filaments, (5) gasto-vascular development, (6) development of oral system, (7) development of appendages, (8) formation of warts, (9) growth rate of young medusa[2].

Blooms edit

 
Cephea Cephea bloom

Zooplankton blooms in semi-enclosed marine waters and bordered by mangroves, most commonly in the Red Sea, have caused many types of jellyfish to shift there. With hgiher temperatures and more food supply, asexual reproduction increases[8]. Cephea Cephea are of the most common jellyfish to bloom along with the zooplankton in order to feed, causing a bloom of themselves[10]. These blooms are known to occur and allow a huge food source for reef fishes at various reefs throughout the Red Sea[10]. An increase in blooms due to eutrophication will allow this species to to be transported through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean[11].

Predators and Prey edit

 
Zooplankton

Predators: This species is normally eaten by reef fish, seabirds and sea turtles[10]. They protect themselves by using their filaments with nematocysts to sting and inject a very poisonous venom into predators; however, this venom is not harmful to humans[5]

 
Sea turtle from the Red Sea

Prey: Cephea Cephea are carnivorous organisms that feed on zooplankton, plankton, algae, brine shrimp and other invertebrate species eggs[5].

Human Use edit

Cephea cephea is an edible species, mostly harvested in Southeast Asia from short blooms that last two to four months[12]. These edible jellyfish have a large tidal range and shallow depth where the polyps settle easily[12]. It is among only 11 other species that is used for human consumption.

References edit

[1]

[2]

  1. ^ a b Tokioka, Takasi (10-16-1964). "OCCURRENCES OF PURPLISH INDIVIDUALS OF CEPHEA CEPHEA (FORSKAL) IN THE VICINITY OF SETO". PUBLICATIONS OF THE SETO MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. 12: 149–156. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); line feed character in |title= at position 39 (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f SUGIURA, YASUO (1966-03). "ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF RHIZOSTOME MEDUSAE IV.CEPHEA CEPHEA". Embryologia. 9 (2): 105–122. doi:10.1111/j.1440-169x.1966.tb00219.x. ISSN 0367-0228. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Omori, Makoto; Nakano, Eiji (2001). Hydrobiologia. 451 (1/3): 19–26. doi:10.1023/a:1011879821323. ISSN 0018-8158 http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/a:1011879821323. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b c Kanagaraj, Govindan; Kumar, Pithchai Sampath; Morandini, André C. (2008-10-24). "The occurrence of Ophiocnemis marmorata (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) associated with the rhizostome medusa Rhopilema hispidum (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)". Journal of Ocean University of China. 7 (4): 421–424. doi:10.1007/s11802-008-0421-6. ISSN 1672-5182.
  5. ^ a b c "Crown Jellyfish Fact Sheet". C.S.W.D. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
  6. ^ a b c d FU, Su-Xing (2010-03-19). Geo-information Science. 11 (6): 695–697. doi:10.3724/sp.j.1047.2009.00695. ISSN 1560-8999 http://dx.doi.org/10.3724/sp.j.1047.2009.00695. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ a b Mayer, Alfred Goldsborough (1910). Medusae of the world,. Washington, D.C.,: Carnegie institution of Washington,.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  8. ^ a b c Schiariti, A; Morandini, AC; Jarms, G; von Glehn Paes, R; Franke, S; Mianzan, H (2014-09-09). "Asexual reproduction strategies and blooming potential in Scyphozoa". Marine Ecology Progress Series. 510: 241–253. doi:10.3354/meps10798. ISSN 0171-8630.
  9. ^ Fitt, William K; Costley, Kristin (1998-04-XX). "The role of temperature in survival of the polyp stage of the tropical rhizostome jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 222 (1–2): 79–91. doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(97)00139-1. ISSN 0022-0981. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c Cruz-Rivera, Edwin; El-Regal, Mohamed Abu (2015-08-28). "A bloom of an edible scyphozoan jellyfish in the Red Sea". Marine Biodiversity. 46 (2): 515–519. doi:10.1007/s12526-015-0381-1. ISSN 1867-1616.
  11. ^ Canepa, Antonio; Fuentes, Verónica; Sabatés, Ana; Piraino, Stefano; Boero, Ferdinando; Gili, Josep-María (2013-09-28), "Pelagia noctiluca in the Mediterranean Sea", Jellyfish Blooms, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 237–266, ISBN 978-94-007-7014-0, retrieved 2021-04-11
  12. ^ a b Omori, Makoto; Nakano, Eiji (2001), "Jellyfish fisheries in southeast Asia", Jellyfish Blooms: Ecological and Societal Importance, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 19–26, ISBN 978-94-010-3835-5, retrieved 2021-04-11