MOERISIIDAE, Poche, 1914

Mead, A., Carlton, J. T., Griffiths, C. L. & Rius, M., 2011, Introduced and cryptogenic marine and estuarine species of South Africa, Journal of Natural History 45 (39 - 40), pp. 2463-2524 : 2474

Family MOERISIIDAE

Moerisia maeotica (Ostroumov, 1896) Introduced (= Ostroumovia inkermanica )

Millard (1970) reported this distinctive Ponto-Caspian species (as Ostroumovia inkermanica ) from the brackish waters of Nhlange Lake (Kosi Bay), Lake St Lucia, and Lagoa Poelela, all on the east coast. She noted that hydranths occurred at 2–16 m, and that medusae were found in the plankton. Millard (1975) noted that previous suggestions that Moerisia maeotica was distributed by ships did not apply to these South African lakes. Other dispersal vectors are therefore involved that would bring this European species to African shores. Further knowledge of the biota of these brackish lakes would clarify these vectors. Moerisia maeotica was first collected in 1965.