First record of the mesopelagic narcomedusan genus Solmissus ingesting a fish, with notes on morphotype diversity in S. incisa (Fewkes, 1886)

Abstract

An individual narcomedusa assignable to Solmissus incisa sensu lato was observed having ingested a fish at 573 m depth near the southeast slope of the Kaikata seamount, Japan. Solmissus is a very common deep-sea narcomedusan genus that is widely considered to be a predator specializing on gelatinous plankton. Several cryptic species, with differences in the number of tentacles and form of manubrial pouches, are thought to be included in the nominal species Solmissus incisa. Therefore, the present study gives a short description of the morphotype of Solmissus incisa s.l. observed with a fish in its stomach, as well as several individuals of the same morphotype that had ingested gelatinous prey.