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Here we report a unique trophic interaction between the cryptogenic and sometimes highly toxic hydrozoan clinging jellyfish  Gonionemus  sp. and the spider crab  Libinia dubia . We assessed species–specific predation on the  Gonionemus  medusae by crabs found in eelgrass meadows in Massachusetts, USA. The native spider crab species  L. dubia  consumed  Gonionemus  medusae, often enthusiastically, but the invasive green crab  Carcinus maenus  avoided consumption in all trials. One out of two blue crabs ( Callinectes sapidus ) also consumed  Gonionemus , but this species was too rare in our study system to evaluate further.  Libinia  crabs could consume up to 30 jellyfish, which was the maximum jellyfish density treatment in our experiments, over a 24-hour period.  Gonionemus  consumption was associated with  Libinia  mortality. Spider crab mortality increased with  Gonionemus  consumption, and 100% of spider crabs tested died within 24 h of consuming jellyfish in our maximum jellyfish density containers. As the numbers of  Gonionemus  medusae used in our experiments likely underestimate the number of medusae that could be encountered by spider crabs over a 24-hour period in the field, we expect that  Gonionemus  may be having a negative effect on natural  Libinia  populations. Furthermore, given that  Libinia  overlaps in habitat and resource use with  Carcinus , which avoids  Gonionemus  consumption,  Carcinus  populations could be indirectly benefiting from this unusual crab–jellyfish trophic relationship.

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Species–specific crab predation on the hydrozoan clinging jellyfish <i>Gonionemus</i> sp. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), subsequent crab mortality, and possible ecological consequences

Species–specific crab predation on the hydrozoan clinging jellyfish Gonionemus sp. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), subsequent crab mortality, and possible ecological consequences