First record of the association between Lychnorhiza lucerna (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae) and Cyrtograpsus affinis (Decapoda, Varunidae)

SCHIARITI A.; SAL MOYANO M. P.; GIBERTO D.; MIANZAN H.

LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AQUATIC RESEARCH

UNIV CATOLICA DE VALPARAISO

Lugar: Valparaíso; Año: 2012 vol. 40 p. 1090 - 1093

0718-560X

We report the association between the jellyfish Lychnorhiza lucerna and the crab Cyrtograpsus affinis. Numerous examples of associations between medusae and brachyurans have been observed in the field and noted in the literature. All of these cases involve medusae of the Class Scyphozoa and crabs belonging to the families Majidae and Portunidae. The presence of three individuals of C. affinis within the subgenital space of Lychnorhiza lucerna constitutes a striking finding since none species of this brachyuran family (Varunidae) has been previously reported associated to scyphomedusae.