Stalked Jellyfish

Stauromedusae UK - An online guide to the Stalked jellyfish (Stauromedusae) found around the coastal waters of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Includes notes on their identification, and where and how to find them.

Funnel-shaped, to nearly 3 cm wide. Stalk about the same length as calyx with 8 equidistant arms, each with 30-100 capitate tentacles, arms alternating with 8 trumpet-shaped marginal anchors on short stems. With 8 gonads, extending to the ends of the 8 arms; gonads with numerous round sacs, in regular or irregular rows, extend into lobes for only about half their length. Subumbrella with or without folds. Color variable, in shades of green, brown, olive, yellow, orange, pink, red or purple, with white spots

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Haliclystus sp. has marginal anchors which are egg-shaped or trumpet-shaped, not expanding into broad cups, and with inconspicuous stalks. Its gonads also nearly reach the ends of the lobes.

Found commonly on eelgrass, rock, and algae.

Depth Range: Found on a variety of intertidal and subtidal habitats, sometimes quite abundant.

Biology/Natural History: The color of H. salpinx often matches the color of their substrate. They feed on small epibenthic crustaceans.

Geographical Range: North and South Atlantic; North Pacific from central California to Alaska, northern Japan and China

Gulf of St. Lawrence (unspecified region) and the Western slope of Newfoundland , including the southern part of the Strait of Belle Isle but excluding the upper 50 m in the area southwest of Newfoundland to Massachusetts.

infralittoral of the Gulf and estuary