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In Situ Observations of Deepwater Medusae in the Genus Deepstaria, with a Description of D. Reticulum, Sp. Nov.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

R. J. Larson
Affiliation:
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 9600 Old Dixie Highway, Fort Pierce, FL 34946
L. P. Madin
Affiliation:
† Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543
G. R. Harbison
Affiliation:
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 9600 Old Dixie Highway, Fort Pierce, FL 34946

Extract

Medusae are common constituents of the meso-and bathypelagic fauna. Small, transparent trachyline hydromedusae are usually most abundant, but the larger (2–10 cm diameter) pigmented coronate scyphomedusae are often collected in trawl nets (Thurston, 1977; Roe, James & Thurston, 1984; Larson, 1986) or observed from submersibles (Mackie & Mills, 1983; Mackie, 1985; Larson, Madin & Harbison, unpublished observations). Larger (30–70 cm) deep-sea semaeostome scyphomedusae are only infrequently collected in nets (Harbison, Smith & Backus, 1973; Larson, 1986), and would appear to be the rarest forms. For example, Thurston (1977) collected over 16000 midwater medusae in trawls yet he did not report taking a single mesopelagic semaeostome. However, recent investigations using submersibles have shown that these medusae are much more common than net hauls alone would suggest (Smith, 1982).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1988

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