Transitions in Morphology, Nematocyst Distribution, Fluid Motions, and Prey Capture During Development of the Scyphomedusa Cyanea capillata
Abstract
Like that of most scyphozoans, the ontogeny of Cyanea capillata medusae involves substantive alterations in feeding structures and mechanics. We used video and optical microscopy approaches to quantify these ontogenetic changes in morphology, flow, and feeding of C. capillata medusae. We found that alterations in gross morphology and nematocyst distributions coincided with a shift from prey capture on the manubrium or lappets of ephyrae (bell diameter 0.2-0.4 cm) to capture primarily on the tentacles in adult medusae (diameter >1.0 cm). These changes occurred within a hydrodynamic framework that itself changed due to medusan growth. Viscous forces were important in flows around small ephyrae (maximum Re <10(1)), whereas viscosity was less influential in the inertially dominated flows around adult medusae (Re > 10(2)). The relative timing of these events indicates that ontogenetic processes are closely synchronized with alterations in the hydrodynamic environment within which C. capillata medusae develop.
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Ephyrae continue to grow into mature medusae that swim at Re_m > 100.
“Ephyrae continue to grow into the mature medusae that swim at Re m > 100 [21, 17].”
From Reynolds number limits for jet propulsion: a numerical study of simplified jellyfish (2011) · cites this paper as [21]
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- Authors
- Higgins, J. E., Ford, M. D., & Costello, J. H.
- Affiliations
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US)
- Providence College (US)
- Venue
- The Biological Bulletin
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 214
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 29-41
- ISSN
- 0006-3185 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-8697
- OpenAlex
- W2269308590
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Marine Invertebrate Physiology and Ecology
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Echinoderm biology and ecology
- Keywords
- Cyanea capillata, ontogeny, medusa development, prey capture, hydrodynamics, viscous flow, inertial flow, manubrium, tentacles, ephyrae, feeding structures, jellyfish
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Motor Activity, Predatory Behavior, Scyphozoa
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