M.N. Dawson Macro-morphological variation among cryptic ...

Macro-morphological variation among cryptic speciesof the moon jellyfish, aurelia (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)Received: 1 October 2002 / Accepted: 24 February 2003 / Published online: 6 May 2003 Springer-Verlag 2003 AbstractMorphological variation in qualitative andquantitative features is compared among species ofAureliadefined a priori using molecular criteria. Macro-morphological features were more numerous than pre-viously implied (28 cf. 17), most were variable (26 of 28),and all species were morphologically distinguishableusing univariate, multivariate and phylogenetic statis-tics. However, due to discrepant morphologicaldescriptions,Aureliaspp. 3, 4, and 6 could not beassigned reliably to any previously described species,and there are still insufficient macro -morphologicalcharacters and variation to reconstruct a statisticallyrobust phylogeny for even the 12 known species ofAurelia.

Additional specimens of Aurelia sp. 3, Aurelia sp. 4, and Aurelia sp. 6, preserved in 4% formalin in seawater, were deposited in CRRF’s invertebrate reference collection.

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  Macro, Variations, Among, Morphological, Aurelia, Macro morphological variation among cryptic, Cryptic

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