First record of the tropical scyphomedusa Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884 (Cnidaria: Rhizostomeae) in the Central Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

Ephyrae and adult medusae of Phyllorhiza punctata were found in 2005 and 2006 in the Ionian Sea, Greece. The youngest ephyrae had a diameter of 1.5 mm and already contained symbiotic zooxanthellae. The biggest medusae, with 45 cm bell diameter, were found in September 2005 in the Bay of Vlyho on the Ionian Island Lefkada. There they occurred simultaneously with ephyrae and young medusae. Adult medusae were also observed in September 2006 in the harbour of Igoumenitsa. In a laboratory maintenance trial, collected ephyrae grew to an umbrella diameter of 4.6 cm in 60 days. This is the first record of a reproducing population of tropical medusae in the Central Mediterranean Sea.