The Cannonball Jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris and Its Many Symbionts

1
The Cannonball Jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris
and Its Many Symbionts

• Bridget Napier
• BSC 504
• December 9, 2008

2
Symbiosis

• From the Greek syn "with" and biosis "living
• Commonly describes close and often long-term
  interactions between different biological species
  
• Categorized as
• Mutualistic
• Parasitic
• Commensal
• Ecto- or Endosymbionts
• Obligate or Facultative

3
Stomolophus meleagris

• AKA - cannonball or cabbage head jellyfish, or
  jelly balls
• Means many mouthed hunter
• Known for their symbiotic relationships with
  other marine species

4
Morphology

• Hemispherical bell
• Reaches 8 to 10 inches in diameter
• Bordered with brown pigment
• Short, protruding oral arms with secondary mouth
  folds (scapulets) at the base of the bell
• Covered with mucus for trapping small prey

5
Habitat

• Found in estuarine and saline waters
• Temperatures around 23.1C (74F)
• Salinity ranging from 17.7 to 36.5 parts per
  thousand (ppt)

6
Range

• New England to Brazil in the western Atlantic
• Southern California to Ecuador in the eastern
  Pacific
• The Sea of Japan to the South China Sea in the
  western Pacific
• They are one of the most abundant scyphomedusae
  along the southeastern and Gulf coasts of the
  United States

7
Diet

• Zooplankton
• Primarily bivalve veligers, a mollusc larval
  stage
• They have also been shown to prey on all stages
  of red drum larvae
• They do not sting humans

8
Known Symbionts

• Libinia dubia Longnose spider crab
• Libinia emarginata Common spider crab
• Aluterus schoepfi Orange filefish
• Caranx bartholomaei Yellow jack fish
• Caranx hippos Crevalle jack fish
• Caranx fusus Blue runner fish
• Chloroscombrus chrysurus Bumper fish
• Monacanthus hispidus Plane head filefish
• Nomeus gronovii Man-of-war fish
• Peprilus triacanthus - Butterfish
• Peprilus burti - Harvestfish
• Hemicaranx ambylrhyncus Blunt nose jack fish

9
Spider Crabs

• Libinia dubia and Libinia emarginata

10
Orange filefish

• Aluterus schoepfi

11
Yellow jack fish

• Caranx bartholomaei

12
Crevalle jack fish

• Caranx hippos

13
Blue runner fish

• Caranx fusus

14
Bumper fish

• Chloroscombrus chrysurus

15
Plane head filefish

• Monacanthus hispidus

16
Man-of-war fish

• Nomeus gronovii

17
Butterfish

• Peprilus triacanthus

18
Harvestfish

• Peprilus burti

19
Blunt nose jack fish

• Hemicaranx amblyrhynchus