Ecology of Aurelia aurita
 
Main Ref. Göthel, H., 1992
Remarks Neritic, potentially pathogenic (Ref. 116114). Free living near the water's surface in pelagic zones (Ref. 2997), close to coasts (Ref. 358), and offshore (Ref. 813); also found in brackish waters (Ref. 2993), coastal embayments, fjords and estuaries (Ref. 3289). Their cnidocytes cannot transpierce the human skin. Suspension feeder (Ref. 3269) on tintinnids, rotifers, cladocerans and larvae of copepods (harpacticoid), barnacles (nauplii; Ref. 3053) and on fish larvae (Ref. 7715). Several cases reported sea anemones to feed on this species; fungiid coral is also an occasional feeder. Provides vital fatty acids for fishes and crustacean predators. Nutritional value of this species from macronutrients and key fatty acids appears to be important over only meeting a predator's energy demands (Ref. 122155).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

Marine - Neritic Marine - Oceanic Brackishwater Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies
  • supra-littoral zone
  • littoral zone
  • sublittoral zone
  • epipelagic
  • mesopelagic
  • epipelagic
  • abyssopelagic
  • hadopelagic
  • estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas
  • mangroves
  • marshes/swamps
  • rivers/streams
  • lakes/ponds
  • caves
  • exclusively in caves
Highighted items on the list are where Aurelia aurita may be found.

Habitat

Substrate Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref. Göthel, H., 1992
Associations commensalism; schooling;
Associated with Associated with Scyllarus sp. larva (Ref. 3087) and Hyperia galba (Ref. 3088).
Association remarks Sometimes aggregating in very large numbers (Ref. 363)
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref. Garciá, J.R., 1990
Feeding habit filtering plankton
Feeding habit Ref. Schneider, G. and G. Behrends, 1994

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method original sample unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition zooplankton such as egg-yolk fish larvae, planktonic cnidarians
From individual food items 3.33 0.25 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref. García, J.R., 1990
(e.g. 9948)
(e.g. cnidaria)
Comments & Corrections
 
 
Back to Search