Haliclystus auricula | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Staurozoa |
Order: | Stauromedusae |
Family: | Haliclystidae |
Genus: | Haliclystus |
Species: | H. auricula
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Binomial name | |
Haliclystus auricula Rathke, 1806
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Synonyms | |
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Haliclystus auricula is a stalked jellyfish or Kaleidoscope jellyfish named for its shape resembling a funnel-shaped kaleidoscope that has eight arms typically found in the Northern Hemisphere. The Staurozoan is classified within the phylum Cnidaria under the kingdom Animalia.[1] Under its genus, H. auricula is considered the type species.[2]
The defining morphological characteristic for H. auricula is the presence of a tentacular cluster of internal intertentacular lobules.[3] H. auricula also resembles another species called H. antarcticus and as a result of this many scientists go debate on whether or not they exhibit synonymy based on morphological features.[3] The scientific name is credited to James-Clark in 1863.[1] However, in 2010, Natural England, The Guardian and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History ran a competition asking members of the public to provide a common name for this species. The name "Kaleidoscope Jellyfish," submitted by Kepler Petzall, was eventually chosen.[4] Runner-up names included Fractal flower jellyfish and Mermaid's trumpet jellyfish.[4]
H. auricula is 2-2.5cm tall and funnel shaped with a long stalk, a central mouth, and eight radiating arms that can have, at most, 100 kidney-shaped tentacles that are found at the tip that is an identifying feature for this species.[1] The coloring of H. auricula can range from a grey-ish green color to a reddish-brown color[1] and it is likely that they will often blend into the algae that they are attached to.[5] H. auricula is able to move location by attaching a specialized tentacle to the substrate as an anchor, detaching its base and 'cartwheeling' into the new position.[6]
H. auricula is one of ten species of Haliclystus found in the Northern hemisphere.[7] Its presence has been noted off the coast of Greenland, Iceland, Portugal, France, Ireland, UK, Germany, northwestern US, around Gulf of St. Lawrence, Baltic Sea, North Sea,[3] and some appearances in the western hemisphere along the coast of South America (specifically Chile and Argentina)[5]. It is very sensitive to pollution. The populations along the British coastline are in decline.[6] Distribution includes the Shetland Isles, Orkney, western coast of England, Scotland and Ireland.[1]
This species lives among the mid-eulittoral to shallow sublittoral ranges of an intertidal zone with the presence of adequate circulation for marine eelgrass and other algae.[1] H. auricula is often found attached to the variety of species of algae during the warmer months of the year, the algae are called suitable algae substrates.[5] The more favorable conditions for larval habitat would be similar: a large density of macroalgal species, which is dependent on wave action.[5] Depths they are found in range from mid-eulittoral to shallow sublittoral.[8]
Haliclystus auricula has been found to generally prey on species under the order of Copepods, Amphipods, Ostracods, and Isopods that are often around their attached algae within the intertidal zones.[9] A correlation between the size of the jelly and the type of prey is present, with smaller jellies consuming smaller species such as copepods whereas the larger species consumes a larger species like Amphipods.[9] In order to successfully ensnare their prey, this passive predator uses its stinging nematocysts.[9]
This species was found to be most abundant and reproduce seasonally most frequently in through the spring and into the late summer, and die off sometime during the autumn.[5] Therefore, Like all stalked jellyfish, a single H. auricula individual is believed to live for only about one year.[10] And since this species is under the order Stauromedusae, this species reproduces by sexual or asexual means and their larval stage ranges between 2-10 days as a planula.[1]