Abstract
On Nov. 5, 2002 more than 200 medusae of Turritopsis nutricula (Hydrozoa, Anthomedusae, Clavidae) were collected in Kagoshima Bay. Most of them were well-grown or possibly mature, and they differ in some respects from conspecific medusae from Kagoshima Bay described by Bigelow (1913) and also from T. nutricula in northern Japan. A description is given based on 10 larger specimens. One medusa could be parasitized by up to 100 or more trematodes. One out of 10 immature medusae with fewer than 30 tentacles degenerated and, following this species' usual course of rejuvenation, formed a hydroid that grew to consist of three zooids at 20°C; a month later this hydroid colony disappeared without releasing medusae. One large individual medusa was cut in half, and one half was further cut into two quarters, but these three pieces did not rejuvenate.
