Meteoronakishinouyei, a new family, genus and species (Cnidaria, Cubozoa, Chirodropida) from Japanese Waters.

Sho Toshino,Hiroshi Miyake,Haruka Shibata

doi:10.3897/zookeys.503.9047

Abstract

A new family, genus and species of cubozoan box jellyfish belonging to the order Chirodropida is reported from the eastern Japan. Meteorona kishinouyei gen. et sp. n. possesses the following unique morphological characters with respect to other known species in the Chirodropida: having one tentacle per scalpel-like unbranched pedalium and slightly raised unbranched gastric saccules. A comparative table of the primary diagnostic characters of genus and order in the Chirodropida is given. The order Chirodropida is redefined. The family Chiropsellidae is established. Discussion is provided on the implications for these findings on our current understanding of Cubozoan systematics.

Highlights

The order Chirodropida currently comprises 13 species in two families, Chirodropidae and Chiropsalmidae (Gershwin 2006a; Cornelius et al 2005; Lewis and Bentlage 2009; Bentlage 2013)
The following measurements were made according to Gershwin 2005 (Fig. 2): bell height (BH), diagonal bell width (DBW), interrhopalial width (IRW), pedalial width (PW), pedalial canal width (PCW), outer keel width (OKW), inner keel width (IKW), tentacle base width (TBW), velarial width (VW)
Meteorona kishinouyei is most likely to be confused with the carybdeid Carybdea brevipedalia from eastern and northern Japan

Summary

Introduction

The order Chirodropida currently comprises 13 species in two families, Chirodropidae and Chiropsalmidae (Gershwin 2006a; Cornelius et al 2005; Lewis and Bentlage 2009; Bentlage 2013). Sho Toshino et al / ZooKeys 503: 1–21 (2015). Agassiz (1862) erected the genus, Chiropsalmus Agassiz (1862) and T. quadrumana was subsequently moved to that genus by Haeckel (1880) when he erected the order Chirodropida (as Chirodropidae) as part of Cubomedusae (formerly of the class Scyphozoa). Werner (1973) elevated Cubomedusae to the class Cubozoa that included Chirodropidae and Carybdeidae. Gershwin (2006a) elevated the family Chirodropidae to the order Chirodropida, and resurrected the family Chiropsalmidae. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses and taxonomic investigations suggested that Chirodropida is a monophyletic order thought to include the paraphyletic Chiropsalmidae (Collins et al 2006; Collins 2009; Bentlage et al 2010)

Methods

Results

Conclusion