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Jellyfish diversity and distribution patterns in the tropical S outhwestern A tlantic
Author(s) -
Gusmão Lúcia Maria O.,
Diaz Xiomara Franchesca G.,
Melo Mauro,
Schwamborn Ralf,
NeumannLeitão Sigrid
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/maec.12119
Subject(s) - jellyfish , abundance (ecology) , biomass (ecology) , plankton , ecology , tropical atlantic , gelatinous zooplankton , biology , species diversity , zooplankton , biodiversity , scyphozoa , geography , cnidaria , oceanography , fishery , coral , sea surface temperature , geology , meteorology
Jellyfish are often the most prominent components of plankton, with severe consequences for fisheries and tourism. However, in tropical regions, there is much uncertainty about these consequences due to the lack of basic data. Our objective was to improve the knowledge about jellyfish in the W estern A tlantic, with an emphasis on understanding diversity, abundance, and distribution patterns. Samples were collected at 34 stations in 1995 using a 300‐μm‐mesh B ongo net. The 21 species identified belonged to Hydromedusae (11), Siphonophora (nine), and Scyphomedusae (one). The overall mean density was low (5.2 ± 5.3 ind. m −3 ). Total H ydromedusae biomass was 130.86 mg C m −3 , and total S iphonophora biomass was 19.04 mg C m −3 . Chelophyes appendiculata ( E schscholtz, 1829) was the most frequent species captured in the oceanic samples, and A glaura hemistoma ( P éron & L esueur, 1810) was the most common in the neritic region. The latter species is sometimes characterized as a bloom associated with the most polluted and eutrophic river plumes. The main role of jellyfish species in the area is as a higher‐order carnivore. A cross‐shelf significant difference (P < 0.05) was registered, with higher species numbers in oceanic regions and higher densities and biomass in neritic regions.