Mastigias ocellatus, the golden medusa, is a species of jellyfish in the family Mastigiidae. It is native to the southern Pacific Ocean.
| Mastigias ocellatus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Scyphozoa |
| Order: | Rhizostomeae |
| Family: | Mastigiidae |
| Genus: | Mastigias |
| Species: | M. o. [1]
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| Binomial name | |
| Mastigias ocellatus [1] (Modeer, 1791)
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| Synonyms | |
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Etymology edit
The specific epithet is derived from the latin ocellatus, "having small eyes", referring to the white spots on the edge of the bell that appear similar to small eyes.[2]
Description edit
The medusa of M. ocellatus grows to a diameter of about 15 cm (6 in). The surface of the bell is sculptured with small, polygonal nematocyst warts. There are 96 marginal lappets and eight 3-winged mouth arms, terminating in a bare, club-shaped extremity, the tip of which is blue. The bell is reddish-brown, with white spots near the edge, each with a brown centre and margin.[1][3]
Distribution edit
M. ocellatus occurs in October in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is a pelagic species, and its method of reproduction has not been studied.[3]
References edit
- ^ a b van der Land, Jacob (2018). "Mastigias ocellatus". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^ Modeer A. (1791). Tentamen systematis medusarum stabiliendi. Nova acta physico-medica Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae Naturae Curiosum. 8(Appendix): 27.
- ^ a b "Mastigias ocellata (Madeer, 1791)". Information system of Scyphozoa, Cubozoa and Staurozoa. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
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