Aequoreidae | |
---|---|
Aequorea victoria (the "crystal jelly") with two amphipods | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hydrozoa |
Order: | Leptothecata |
Family: |
Aequoreidae Eschscholtz, 1829 |
Genera [1] | |
Aequoreidae is a family of hydrozoans, sometimes called the many-ribbed jellies or many-ribbed jellyfish. [2] [3] There are approximately 30 known species found in temperate and tropical marine coastal environments. [4] Aequoreids include Aequorea victoria, the organism from which the green fluorescent protein gene was isolated. [5]
Only the polyp stages of Aequorea species have been observed. [6] The colonies are covered with chitinous periderm and can be either prostrate or erect with weak or sympodial branching. [6] Young hydranths possess hydrothecae with a closing structure called operculum, [6] which consists of several relatively long triangular folds that meet together in the centre when a disturbed polyp contracts. [6] Because the operculum is quite fragile, hydrothecae of old polyps usually have only a small chitinous collar remaining. [6] Comparatively large cylindrical gonothecae are attached to the colony with a thin peduncle. [6] Commonly only one medusa develops in each gonotheca. [6]
Mature aequoreid medusae are diverse in shape, from lens-like to conical, and in size. [4] The smallest, Aequerea parva is only 0.6 cm in diameter, while the largest, Rhacostoma atlanticum, can reach 40 cm in diameter. [4] [6] The medusae of most species are between 5 and 15 cm in diameter. [4]
Aequoreidae includes the following genera: [1]
Aequoreidae | |
---|---|
Aequorea victoria (the "crystal jelly") with two amphipods | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Cnidaria |
Class: | Hydrozoa |
Order: | Leptothecata |
Family: |
Aequoreidae Eschscholtz, 1829 |
Genera [1] | |
Aequoreidae is a family of hydrozoans, sometimes called the many-ribbed jellies or many-ribbed jellyfish. [2] [3] There are approximately 30 known species found in temperate and tropical marine coastal environments. [4] Aequoreids include Aequorea victoria, the organism from which the green fluorescent protein gene was isolated. [5]
Only the polyp stages of Aequorea species have been observed. [6] The colonies are covered with chitinous periderm and can be either prostrate or erect with weak or sympodial branching. [6] Young hydranths possess hydrothecae with a closing structure called operculum, [6] which consists of several relatively long triangular folds that meet together in the centre when a disturbed polyp contracts. [6] Because the operculum is quite fragile, hydrothecae of old polyps usually have only a small chitinous collar remaining. [6] Comparatively large cylindrical gonothecae are attached to the colony with a thin peduncle. [6] Commonly only one medusa develops in each gonotheca. [6]
Mature aequoreid medusae are diverse in shape, from lens-like to conical, and in size. [4] The smallest, Aequerea parva is only 0.6 cm in diameter, while the largest, Rhacostoma atlanticum, can reach 40 cm in diameter. [4] [6] The medusae of most species are between 5 and 15 cm in diameter. [4]
Aequoreidae includes the following genera: [1]