Carybdea marsupialis has been abundantly detected in some shallow waters in the Spanish Mediterranean. However, in a well-studied population off Dénia the distribution of adults, present in areas of high productivity, does not coincide with the location of juveniles, much more dispersed. The aim of this study was to elucidate the influence of the active swimming ability of C. marsupalis on this spatial distribution by measuring its swimming speed in the laboratory and comparing it with local currents obtained from drifting buoys. The swimming speed of 27 specimens, ranging in size from 1.1 to 36 mm diagonal bell width (DBW), was analyzed in aquaria using video cameras and the video analysis tool Tracker. Small juveniles (DBW<5 mm), medium juveniles (5 mm<DBW<15 mm) and adults (DBW>15 mm) showed a mean swimming speed of 9.65±0.76 mm/s, 21.91±2.29 mm/s and 43.10±1.78 mm/s (mean±SE), respectively, following a linear regression with R2=0.92.Comparing these results with the currents obtained, only adults would be able to swim strongly enough to overcome almost 70% of the currents closer to shore, while small juveniles would not reach 17%, allowing habitat selection by the former and leaving the latter dependent on advection. Although complementary experiments (e.g. adding currents) would be necessary to corroborate this, such information would be useful to feed predictive models of jellyfish distribution and to know in advance their presence since, despite the sting of C. marsupalis not being fatal, severe systemic effects have been described in sensitive patients.
Primary Presenter: Eva Fonfria, University of Alicante (eva.fonfria@ua.es)
Authors:
Eva S. Fonfria, University of Alicante (eva.fonfria@ua.es)
Sara Manchado-Perez, Valencia Polytechnic University (saramanchadoperez@gmail.com)
Cesar Bordehore, University of Alicante (cesar.bordehore@ua.es)
ONTOGENIC SWIMMING SPEED OF CARYBDEA MARSUPIALIS (CUBOZOA): IMPLICATIONS FOR SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
Category
Scientific Sessions > SS056 Jellyfish in the Changing Ocean
Description
Time: 06:30 PM
Date: 7/6/2023
Room: Mezzanine