Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884

Aspe, Nonillon M. & James, Samuel W., 2017, Pheretima monotheca, Zoological Studies 55 (35), pp. 1-19 : 9

Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884

( Fig. 1j )

Class: Scyphozoa

Family: Mastigiidae (Stiasny 1921)

Genus: Phyllorhiza (L. Agassiz 1862)

Description: This species is also known as the white spotted jellyfish, characterised by white spots that are distributed evenly on the exumbrella, umbrella margin and oral arms. The smaller sized (<100 mm) specimens, presumably juveniles, have yellow exumbrellas and oral arms, whereas bigger specimens tend to be dark brown. The mesoglea is very thick. The species has eight broad oral arms and sometimes terminal clubs that vary in colour (blue, red or translucent). The end of the oral arms is usually leaf-shaped with many filaments. The species hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae found mostly in the mesoglea, giving the jellyfish body a yellow-brown pigmentation. The species has no perceptible sting. The exumbrella diameter ranges from 30 mm- 400 mm.

Distribution and habitat: This non-edible jellyfish occurs in the Klang Strait throughout the year. This species is widely distributed and usually found in c oral reefs, mangroves and estuaries. It has been observed to occur also in other parts of Malaysia such as Penang Nature Reserve, Langkawi Island, Lumut, Pangkor Island, Muar, Tanjung Kling and Tioman Island. P. punctata is generally distributed in Thailand, Australia, Philippines and Japan.

Figures

Fig. 1. Jellyfish species collected in Malaysian waters. Cubozoan jellyfish; Morbakka sp. (a), Chiropsoides buitendijki (b); Scyphozoan jellyfish; Acromitus flagellatus (c), Catostylus townsendi (d), Cephea cephea (e), Chrysaora chinensis (f), Cyanea sp. (g), Lobonemoides robustus (h), Mastigias sp. (i), Phyllorhiza punctata (j), Rhopilema hispidum (k) and Rhopilema esculentum (l).