Unmasking Aurelia species in the Mediterranean Sea: an integrative morphometric and molecular approach Author Scorrano, Simonetta Author Aglieri, Giorgio Author Boero, Ferdinando Author Dawson, Michael N. Author Piraino, Stefano text Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2017 2016-10-21 180 5 243 267 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12494 journal article 3433 10.1111/zoj.12494 5aa0b8cf-ebe0-4f4b-8797-dd342d5720f6 0024-4082 5710984 A7E14A6A-CBE6-4786-865D-54EB746D4182 AURELIA SOLIDA BROWNE, 1905 Aurelia solida Browne, 1905: 960 – 962 , pl. 94, figs 1 – 2. Type locality: Maldives . Aurelia TET lineage Schroth et al. , 2002: 3 , 4 (table 2) (Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea). Aurelia sp. 8 Dawson et al. , 2005 : 11970, fig. 1 (Adriatic, Mediterranean, Red Sea). Ram̃sak et al. , 2012: 70 (North Adriatic, Mediterranean Sea). Material examined: Holotype : Female, GT , March 2015 , 24 cm BD. Deposited in UNIPD . Accession number: CN58 CH . Paratype I: Female, GT , March 2015 , 150 mm BD. Accession number: UNIS _SCY_038 . Other material: Seven medusae, GT, March 2015 , 134 – 220 mm (range of BD ); one medusa, PC, April 2013 , 218 mm BD. All specimens deposited in UNIS _SCY. Accession numbers: UNIS _SCY_039 – 046. Description (based on holotype and paratypes ): Morphometric and meristic data of polyp and ephyra stages are presented in Table 1 . Morphology is illustrated in Figures 5C , 8P – T , 9D , and 11I – L . Molecular diagnosis is presented in Figures 3 and 4 . Polyp: Number of tentacles variable, commonly 16 – 22, rarely 14. Tentacles ramified in 40% of polyps. Hypostome cruciform. Colour pinkish. Asexual reproduction by budding from stolon or directly from column of parental polyp. Podocysts also observed. Strobilation polydisc, up to 20 discs observed. Ephyra: Normally eight arms, 16 marginal lappets, and eight rhopalia. Marginal lappets long, breadknife-like shaped ( Straehler-Pohl & Jarms, 2010 ; Fig. 8P ). Colour milky – transparent. Manubrium cruciform. One or two gastric filaments per quadrant. Medusa: Disc rounded, thick, up to 24 cm in diameter. Bell margin salmon – light violet, bell shape (f21) typically undulating, with eight marginal lobes and eight marginal sense organs in a deep cleft (f29, 5.26 ƚ 0.2 mm ). The sense organ is protected on the exumbrellar side by a dorsal hood of rhomboidal – oval shape ( Fig. 11I ). The rhopalium is short and directed mostly towards the exumbrellar side, approximately angled at 90 ° with respect to the direction of rhopalia described in A. coerulea and A. relicta sp. nov. ( Fig. 11J ), where rhopalia are directed towards the bell margin. The same pattern was described in the original description given by Browne (1905) , in comparison with A. aurita . A large ectodermal ocellus is visible. The reddish pigment granules are arranged in a top-hat shape, with a middle row projecting towards the upper end ( Fig. 11K ). No endodermal ocellus was detectable on the subumbrellar side ( Fig. 11L ). Numerous small and pinkish tentacles are arranged slightly above the bell margin. Manubrium cruciform, rigid, depth 4 – 8 mm , width 21 – 27 mm , with four perradial oral arms slightly folded, mean length (f5) 8 r /9. Four interradial gonads, horseshoe-shaped, rose – violet. Subgenital pore placed centrally, diameter (f11) ranging from 3.5 to 5.6 mm . Opposite gastric cavities close across the diameter, mean proximal gastric diameter (f9) from r /6 to r /3, distal gastric diameter (f10) from 3 r /4 to r . From each gastrogenital sinus, between six and nine canals depart (ranges of variation: two or three perradials, between one and three adradials, and between two and four interradials). Canals salmon – violet. Adradial canals (f28) branched a few times, interradial (f26) and perradial canals (f27) branched up to 36 times. Type locality: Maldive islands (Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean). Habitat: Marine, open sea. Only one record from coastal lagoon in the Mediterranean Sea. Distribution in the Mediterranean Sea: Bizerte Bay and Lagoon ( Tunisia ), Gulf of Trieste (North Adriatic sea), Porto Cesareo (Ionian Sea), Cannes ( France ). Distribution outside Mediterranean Sea: Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Maldive Islands , Indian Ocean ( Schroth et al. , 2002 ; Dawson et al. , 2005 ; Ram̃sak et al. , 2012). Remarks: Migration through the Suez Canal and shipping from the Indian Ocean seem to be the most conceivable sources of introduction and spread in Mediterranean open-water areas ( Dawson et al. , 2005 ).