Nematocysts types and morphological features of some scyphozoa species in the Southwest Turkey

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the nematocyst types and morphologies and the relationship between the bell diameters and nematocyst numbers of some scyphozoa species in Mugla coasts, Turkey. Three scyphozoa species which are Cotylorhiza tuberculata (Macri, 1778), Phyllorhiza punctata Lendenfeld, 1884 and Chrysaora hysoscella (Linne, 1766) were sampled in Mugla coasts. Four different methods were experimented for nematocyst isolation but it was determined that the most effective method was the tissues were homogenized and then centrifuged. Four and seven nematocyst types were identified in C. tuberculata and P. punctata, respectively. Generally, euryteles were the most common nematocyst types in P. punctata and O-isorhizas were the dominant types in C. tuberculata samples. Five nematocyst types identified which were a-isorhiza, A-isorhiza, O-isorhiza, eurytele and polyspiras in C. hysoscella. In C. tuberculata, correlations between bell diameters and numbers of nematocyst types were found in A-isorhiza and O-isorhiza (r=0,95; r=0,39, respectively) in margins and in all nematocyst types except O-isorhiza in oral arms. In P. punctata, only correlation was found between the numbers of O-isorhiza and bell diameters (r= 0,53) in the margin. In oral arms, numbers of a-isorhiza and O-isorhiza were correlated with bell diameters (r=0,74, r=0,56, respectively).