Order CORONATAE Vanhöffen, 1892

Museums

Regional Maps

• Peromedusae Haeckel, E. 1880. System der Acraspeden. Zweite Halfte des System der Medusen. Jena : G. Fischer. [396] [includes the genera Pericolpa Haeckel (1880), Pericrypta Haeckel (1880), Peripalma Haeckel (1880), and Periphylla Haeckel (1880)].
• Cannostomae Haeckel, E. 1880. System der Acraspeden. Zweite Halfte des System der Medusen. Jena : G. Fischer. [476] [includes the genera Ephyra Péron & Lesueur (1810), Palephyra Haeckel (1880), Zonephyra Haeckel (1880), Nausicaa Haeckel (1880), Nausithoe Kölliker (1853), Nauphanta Haeckel (1880), Atolla Haeckel (1880), and Collaspis Haeckel (1880)].

Introduction

The coronate scyphomedusae are generally found in the mesopelagic zone of the deep sea, where they spend their time drifting along gently, with occasional twinkling or racing displays of bioluminescence. Most coronates have conspicuous dark red pigmentation, especially in the gut, thought to act as a shield to the bioluminescent displays of their prey.

The Coronatae is represented by five families worldwide, the Atollidae Bigelow, 1909, the Linuchidae Haeckel, 1880, the Nausithoidae Haeckel, 1880, the Paraphyllinidae Maas, 1903, and the Periphyllidae Haeckel, 1880.

The families are easy to tell apart, with members of the Atollidae having a flattish body with a well developed furrow around the central disk, and more than eight rhopalia alternating with an equal number of tentacles; the linuchids have a conspicuously thimble-shaped body with eight rhopalia and eight tentacles; the nausithoids are quite flat, with eight rhopalia and eight tentacles, and conspicuous marginal lappets; the periphyllinids have a conical body with four perradial rhopalia and four or more tentacles; and the periphyllids are conical with four interradial rhopalia and 4-28 tentacles.

A sixth family, the Atorellidae Vanhoffen, 1902: 51, was considered valid by Kramp (1961: 313), but was merged with the family Nausithoidae by Mills et al. (1987). It had originally been erected for medusae with a secondary hexamerous symmetry that were otherwise similar to the Nausithoidae; however, Mills and her colleagues described a new species that provided a link between the two families.

Diagnosis

Exumbrella: separated into two zones by circular coronal groove, central region a thickened disc or dome, marginal area divided by radiating grooves into thickened pedalia, with peripheral lappets. Pedalia: each with either a tentacle or n sensory rhopalium. Marginal tentacles: short, solid, noncontractile. Stomach wall fused to subumbrella by four triangular gastric septa. Mouth with single opening; lips simple. Umbrella and gastrodermis often darkly pigmented.

Diagnosis References

Larson, R.J. 1986. Pelagic scyphomedusae (Scyphozoa: Coronatae and Semaeostomeae) of the Southern Ocean. Biology of the Antarctic Seas XVI, Antarctic Research Series, Vol. 41. 59-165 pp. [64]

General References

Haeckel, E. 1880. System der Acraspeden. Zweite Halfte des System der Medusen. Jena : G. Fischer. [396, 476]

Kramp, P.L. 1961. Synopsis of the medusae of the world. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 40: 1-469 [311]

Larson, R.J. 1986. Pelagic scyphomedusae (Scyphozoa: Coronatae and Semaeostomeae) of the Southern Ocean. Biology of the Antarctic Seas XVI, Antarctic Research Series, Vol. 41. 59-165 pp.

Mayer, A.G. 1910. Medusae of the World. Vol. 1 and 2, The Hydromedusae. Vol. 3, The Scyphomedusae. Washington, D.C. : Carnegie Institution 735 pp., 76 pls. [reprinted by A. Asher & Co., 1977] [541]

Mills, C.E., Larson, R.J. & Youngbluth, M.J. 1987. A new species of coronate scyphomedusa from the Bahamas, Atorella octogonos. Bulletin of Marine Science 40: 423-427

History of changes