Mangrove Upside-down Jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana

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Updated 3/6/2014

Family Cassiopeidae

TROPICAL WESTERN ATLANTIC

Cassiopea xamachana

Sub Pens, Boca Chica Key, Florida, 15 feet *

Fluorescent image *

Stock Island, FL, 2 feet

MANGROVE UPSIDE-DOWN JELLYFISH

Locally abundant on silty bottom of quiet lagoons in association with Red Mangroves. Will release powerful nematocysts into the water with the slightest disturbance. Contains zooxanthellae and lays upside-down to expose tentacles to the sun. Settlement requires chemical compounds released by rotting Red Mangrove leaves. Attains 12 inches. Tropical Western Atlantic.

* Federally-funded images via: "Identification and Characterization of Cryptic Fleming Bay Marine Stingers, Special Forces Underwater Operations (SFUWO) at Fleming Bay, FL", PI Angel Yanagihara with UH Diving Safety Program Divers E. Waldrop, G. Stender, Y. Stender, NIH RMATRIX Award U54RR026136 (May -July, 2011).

These results were also presented in a poster "E. Waldrop, G. Stender, Y. Stender, J. Smith, A. Jaferis, K. Kelly and A. Yanagihara, Identification and Characterization of Cryptic Fleming Bay Marine Stingers, Special Forces Underwater Operations (SFUWO) at Fleming Bay, FL, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology John A. Burns School of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Symposium. University of Hawai’i’. April 18th, 2012"