Pelagia

Remarks. Pelagia is a frequent visitor to New South Wales, but the specimens from the present collection are quite distinct from the form most commonly encountered, typically identified as P. noctiluca. Whereas the common form is about 3 cm across the bell, with a firm and nearly opaque mauve body, and conspicuous shallow blind-ending rhopaliar pits, the present form has a much larger, extremely transparent body, and no rhopaliar pits. The tentacles, in particular, are noteworthy, as they are considerably finer in this form than typically observed for the local Pelagia. Two species of Pelagia are generally considered valid (Russell 1970): P. noctiluca, which is widespread in the warmer waters of the world’s oceans, and P. flaveola, restricted to the tropical Pacific; Russell’s (1964) Pelagia colorata was reclassified as a Chrysaora (Gershwin & Collins 2002). The present form is unlike the commonly encountered, stiff-bodied Australian form, nor does it seem to match descriptions of published forms, but further study is necessary to determine its identity.

Material examined. AM G 17077, Athol Bay, NSW (no collection date given); 4 male specimens (BD 32.9 mm, 43.4 mm, 39.4 mm, 52.2 mm).