THE BIOLOGY OF THREE NEW ENGLAND STAUROMEDUSAE, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES

Abstract

The present survey is of the Stauramedusae north of Cape Cod. The species studied are Lucernaria quadriconis, Haliclystus salpinx, and Thaumatoscyphus atlanticus, which is a newly reported species. These are described in terms of their structure and activity, with particular reference to the importance of size and of the relative significance and structure of marginal anchors. Also included is an account of the young forms of Lucernaria quadricornis and Thaumatoscyphus atlanticus, and of abnormal twin-type individuals of Lucernaria quadricornis.All three species undergo a seasonal cycle, reaching sexual maturity in late summer, followed by dissolution, the winter population consisting only of the succeeding generation.