Chromosome analysis of Aurelia aurita Linné, 1758 (Scyphozoa: Ulmaridae), southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Aurelia aurita is a cosmopolitan species that is common along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. It enters lagoon–estuarine systems where it is present in high densities. The karyotype of organisms from Estero Tenechaco, Tuxpan, Veracruz is described. Specimens were collected with a spoon landing net in March 2003. Marginal tentacle tissue was subjected to cytogenetic processing, including a mitostatic treatment previous to hypotonic shock. The chromosome numbers obtained were 2n=44 and n=22, and the fundamental number was NF:88.

Keywords:

• Ideogram
• jellyfish
• karyotype
• moonjelly
• Tuxpan-Veracruz

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

The authors express their thanks to A. Raz-Guzman for the English translation, and to the anonymous referees whose comments helped improve the final version of the manuscript.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark