Gonionemus vertens
| Gonionemus vertens | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Hydrozoa |
| Order: | Limnomedusae |
| Family: | Olindiidae |
| Genus: | Gonionemus |
| Species: | G. vertens |
| Binomial name | |
| Gonionemus vertens | |
Gonionemus vertens is a species of hydrozoan in the family Olindiidae.
Description
The appearance of Gonionemus vertens is usually described as having an transparent bell lined with up to 90 tentacles and colored gonads; orange, red, or violet if the specimen is female or yellow-brown if it is male. The gonads are arranged hanging from four radial canals so that when viewed from above, the gonads are lined perpendicularly. The manubrium, colored tan, hangs down in the middle. The whole jellyfish is only about 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in diameter, and sometimes as small as an American dime, 17.91 mm (0.705 in). The species is often found clinging to seaweed or eelgrass giving it the nickname "the clinging jellyfish". Polyps are tiny, only about 0.5 mm.
Distribution
In the United States, specimens of Gonionemus vertens have been found on the Pacific coast, from The Aleutian Islands to Southern California, and on the Atlantic coast, from Massachusetts to New Jersey.[2] In Asian waters they have been reported from northern Zhejiang, the Sea of Japan, Olga Bay and the northern Japanese Islands. In Europe they have been found from the Mediterranean Sea to Norway and the Swedish west coast.[3]
Gonionemus vertens has in addition been reported to be very venomous in waters near Japan and Russia. Previously reported as harmless in the Atlantic, there are now increasing numbers of stinging incidents occurring on the US Atlantic coast.[4]
References
- ↑ WoRMS (2011). Schuchert P, ed. "Gonionemus vertens A. Agassiz, 1862". World Hydrozoa database. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ↑ "Gonionemus vertens « Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey". Conservewildlifenj.org. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ↑ "Ny manet upptäckt: Väldigt kraftiga brännceller". Sverigesradio.se. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ↑ Cross, Pam (26 June 2015). "Jellyfish new to local beaches giving out 'nasty stings'". Wcvb.com. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
Further reading
- An all-purpose guide labeling and discussing venomous and poisonous marine animals -- Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook view here
- A paragraph description of The Clinging Jellyfish, Gonionemus vertens view here
- "Gonionemus vertens". JNCC.