Species Rhopilema hispidum (Vanhöffen, 1888)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Rhizostoma hispidum Vanhöffen, E. 1888. Untersuchungen ueber Semaeostome und Rhizostome Medusen. Bibliotheca Zoologica, Stuttgart 1(3): 51 pp., 6 pls, 1 map [32].

Generic Combinations

• Rhopilema hispidum (Vanhöffen, 1888). —
  Maas, O. 1903. Die scyphomedusen der Siboga-Expedition. Siboga-Expeditie 11(livr. 10): 1–91, pls 1–12

Distribution

States

Northern Territory

Extra Distribution Information

Rhopilema hispidum was reported in Australian waters by Williamson et al. (1996), from the Northern Territory. It was subsequently found again in Darwin Harbour by Gershwin (unpublsihed notes, 2004). Elsewhere in the world, it has been reported from various localities throughout the Indo-Pacific (see Kramp 1961).

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, epipelagic, estuary, marine, neritic.

Diagnosis

250-340 mm wide, exumbrella with numerous small, sharp-pointed, conical projections; in each octant about eight velar lappets, oblong, rounded; mouth-arms terminate in a large club-shaped appendage with a faceted, swollen end, other club-shaped appendages between the mouths on the three wings.

Diagnosis References

Kramp, P.L. 1961. Synopsis of the medusae of the world. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 40: 1-469 [380]

Notes

Rhopilema hispidum is easily distinguished by its whitish bell with numerous fine red dots, and thick, elongate pyramidal appendages on the oral arms, which may be reddish in colour.

The species was originally described into the genus Rhizostoma, and was moved to the genus Rhopilema by Maas (1903), where it has remained stable. The species R. verrucosa Kishinouye from Japan was thought by Mayer (1910) to be conspecific, as was the species R. visayana Light (1914b) from the Philippines (Stiasny 1921).

General References

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

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]

Stiasny, G. 1921. Results of Dr. E. Mjöbergs Swedish scientific expeditions to Australia, 1910-13. XXX. Scyphomedusen. Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Academiens Nya Handlingar, Stockholm 62(2): 1–12, text-figs

Williamson, J., Fenner, P., Burnett, J. & Rifkin, J. (eds) 1996. Venomous and Poisonous Marine Animals: a medical and biological handbook. Sydney, Australia : NSW University Press 800 pp.

History of changes