[Cnidaria] Mnemiopsis and parasite?

[meg daly]

Hi Lene et al-
It looks to me like a larval sea anemone.  In the western North Atlantic,
Menemiopsis is often parasitized by the sea anemone Edwardsiella lineata.
Although this species is not known from the eastern North Atlantic, there
are several species of Edwardsiella in that part of the world.  There are
anecdotal accounts of Edwardsiella carnea (old names: Fagesia carnea,
Milneedwardsia carnea) parasitizing ctenophores, but there are no
substantiated, scientific literature accounts of this interaction.  Other
sea anemones that parasitize pelagic "jellyfish" as larvae include members
of the genus Peachia, which most commonly associate with Scyphozoans.

Hope that helps!
Meg Daly

-----Original Message-----
From: cnidaria-bounces at uci.edu [mailto:cnidaria-bounces at uci.edu] On Behalf
Of Lene Friis Møller
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 7:59 AM
To: cnidaria at uci.edu
Subject: [Cnidaria] Mnemiopsis and parasite?

Dear All

I know this is a cnidarian list but I will take my chances with a 
ctenophore question........

Quiet a lot of the individuals of the Mnemiopsis population here at the 
Swedish west coast seems to have a parasite (see picture).

Does anybody know what this is and how common it is?

All the best
Lene

________________________________________________________
Lene Friis Møller, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Marine Ecology, Göteborg University
Kristineberg Marine Research Station
Kristineberg 566
450 34 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
E-mail: lene.friismoller at marecol.gu.se
Tel: +46 (0) 523 18509