Using citizen science to obtain data on large, floating gelatinous spheres from NE Atlantic, attributed to egg mass of ommastrephid squid (Oegopsida, Cephalopoda, Mollusca)

ABSTRACT

A total of 27 large, gelatinous spherical masses observed in coastal Norwegian waters from Nordland to Aust-Agder Counties in Norway, and off Lysekil in Sweden, Muljica Island in Croatia, Gulf of Naples in Italy, Reqqa Point in Malta, and Saint Mandrier in France, during the months of April to September 2001 to 2017, are reported. Individual spheres measured 0.3–2 m in diameter, averaging one metre (n = 24, ±0.53 m), with all but four sighted in suspension in the water column between 0.5 and 52 m depth, in water temperatures ranging between 10–21°C. About half of all spheres contained a yellow-red streak through their gelatinous core. Tissue samples were not obtained. We attribute these gelatinous spheres to the egg masses of squid (Cephalopoda, Oegopsida), and most likely to the ommastrephid Todarodes sagittatus, given similarities with egg masses of T. pacificus.

SUBJECT EDITOR:

• Audrey Geffen

KEYWORDS:

• Cephalopoda
• egg mass
• large gelatinous spheres
• North Atlantic Ocean
• Norway
• Ommastrephidae
• Todarodes sagittatus

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks go to the following for pictures, videos and reporting on gelatinous spheres: Erling and Rudolf Svensen, Leif Bruntveit, Anette and Roy Ægir Jolma-Stensland, Bjørnar Nygård, Dykeriet and Dive Tustna v/ Carl Ziegler and Kim Davidsson via Eva Kristine Magell Hoset and Kenth Lindstrand, Geir Eliassen, Ronni Bless Bekkemellem, Torbjørn Inge Flor, Mantas Kaciulus, Siri Kristoffersen, Geir Johannessen, Tom Christer Fløgstad, Arne Fredrik Steimler, Gulen Diveresort, Tapsa Salakari via Torleiv Brattegard, Fridtjof Karlsen, Magnus Garberg, Ola Brandt, Synnøve Kåseth, Espen Danielsen, Felix Nordgaard Danielsen, Jan Petter Røseth, Harald Pedersen, Terje Vindenes, John Johannessen, Rickard Larsson, Borko Pusic, Roy Soage, Marko Prasek, Edoardo Ruspantini, Daniel Castrucci, Sonia Silvio and Jeffery Falzon via Patrick J. Schembri, and Renauld Helstroffer. Thanks also to Gro I. van der Meeren with the collection of data from observers through media and Louise Allcock, Michael Vecchione, Manuel AE Malaquias, Geir Johnsen, Arne Fjellheim, Elaina Jorgensen and anonymous reviewers for valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.