Aequorea pensilis ( Eschscholtz, 1829 )

Buecher, Emmanuelle, Goy, Jacqueline, J, Mark & Gibbons, 2005, Hydromedusae of the Agulhas Current, African Invertebrates 46, pp. 27-69 : 52-53

Aequorea pensilis ( Eschscholtz, 1829)

Mesonema coelum pensile: Eschscholtz 1829: 112 .

Aequorea pensilis: Kramp 1961: 208 ; 1968: 98, fig. 268.

Description: Five specimens from three stations. Saucer-shaped umbrella, much broader than tall, without apical projection; up to 6.3 mm in diameter. Exumbrella surface smooth, without rows of gelatinous papillae. Mesoglea thickened centrally, lens-like, thinning to margin. Velum narrow. Peripheral canal and between 100–250 radial canals present,

latter narrow, with smooth margin and unbranched; without centripetal canals. With 10–16 tentacles connected to peripheral canal, arising from small bulbs on umbrella margin. Tentacles of similar size, long, hollow, unbranched, filiform. 8–16 times as many small rudimentary bulbs as marginal tentacles. All marginal bulbs with lateral extensions; without either keel or excretory papillae, but bearing excretory pores. Lateral and marginal cirri absent. Manubrium up to 2/3 umbrella width, broad and flat, not extending to velum, not connected to radial canals by mesenteries. Mouth simple, circular, without pronounced lips; gastric peduncle absent. Statocysts closed, numerous. Without ocelli. Gonads extending along almost entire length of radial canals.

Material examined: H5050.

Comments: see A. forskalea .

Distribution: Widespread in tropical and temperate waters of Indo-West Pacific. Previously collected in the Mozambique Channel, off the Seychelles archipelagos and along the east coast of South Africa (Kramp 1965; Millard 1975; Bouillon 1978 b), and in the Benguela Current along the west coast of South Africa ( Vanhöffen 1911). Neritic.