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Ras, V.; Neethling, S.; Engelbrecht, A.; Morandini, A.; Bayha, K.; Skrypzeck, H.; Gibbons, M. (2020). There are three species of Chrysaora (Scyphozoa: Discomedusae) in the Benguela upwelling ecosystem, not two. Zootaxa. 4778(3): 401-438.
380221
10.11646/zootaxa.4778.3.1 [view]
Ras, V.; Neethling, S.; Engelbrecht, A.; Morandini, A.; Bayha, K.; Skrypzeck, H.; Gibbons, M.
2020
There are three species of <em>Chrysaora</em> (Scyphozoa: Discomedusae) in the Benguela upwelling ecosystem, not two
Zootaxa
4778(3): 401-438
Publication
Available for editors [request]
Chrysaora (Pèron & Lesueur 1810) is the most diverse genus within Discomedusae, and 15 valid species are currently
recognised, with many others not formally described. Since Chrysaora fulgida (Reynaud 1830) was first recognised as
occurring off the south west (SW) coast off South Africa, the species has been variously synonymised with Chrysaora
hysoscella (Linnaeus 1767) and Chrysaora africana (Vanhöffen 1902). Using DNA evidence alongside multivariate tools
to analyse quantitative morphometric and meristic data, as well as information from the cnidome, we unambiguously
separate C. fulgida from C. hysoscella; we resurrect C. africana as a valid species and recognise a new species, Chrysaora
agulhensis sp. nov. Full descriptions of C. fulgida, C. africana and C. agulhensis sp. nov. are provided. The species have
different geographical patterns of distribution around the region, with restricted areas of overlap: C. agulhensis sp. nov. is
found along the southern coast of South Africa and over the Agulhas Bank, C. fulgida extends from Cape Point in South
Africa to southern Angola, and C. africana can be found from southern Namibia northwards to the Gulf of Guinea. The
species can be readily separated in the field by a combination of tentacle/lappet number and shape, colour patterns and
the form of the oral arms.
Southern Africa
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Chrysaora agulhensis Ras, Neethling, Engelbrecht, Morandini, Bayha, Skrypzeck & Gibbons, 2020 (original description)