heterodon simus , commonly known as the southern hog-nosed snake , is a harmless snake species endemic to the southeastern united states .

no subspecies are currently recognized .

southern hognose snake

the shaded region represents the range of the southern hognose snake in north carolina .
southern hognose snakes are not as common as the eastern hognose snake . southerns are considered a species of concern in south carolina .
but these snakes are also known by many other common names such as texas hognose snake , prairie hognose snake , bluffer , blow snake , spoonbill snake , spreadhead snake , texas rooter , and faux viper .
like its larger cousin , the eastern hognose snake , southern hognose snakes also feign death to discourage potential predators . the southern has a more sharply upturned snout than the eastern .
the southern hognose snake is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
the eastern hognose snake is found in the eastern half of the united states from central new england to florida . it is also found in southern canada . the eastern hognose snake is found in southern new hampshire .
their range extends from southern canada to northern mexico through the central united states . in canada , it ' s found in southern alberta , southern saskatchewan , and southern manitoba .
description : the southern hognose snake has an upturned snout , like its larger cousin the eastern hognose snake . southern hognose snakes are very stocky and have patterns of large , dark brown blotches on a tan or light gray background . their bellies are whitish and usually mottled with gray or brown . the southern hognose has a dark stripe running between its eye and the corner of its mouth . southern hognose snakes can be distinguished from eastern hognose snakes by the coloration under the tail , which is similar to that of their belly .
faking death is a tactic the eastern hognose snake uses when confronted by a predator .
western hognose snake ( h . n . nasicus - baird & girard , 1852 )
gloyd ' s hognose snake ( h . n . gloydi - edgren , 1952 )
kennerly ' s hognose snake ( h . n . kennerlyi - kennicott , 1860 )
in north america , the eastern hognose snakes share the genus heterodon with two other species , the southern hognose heterodon simus and the western hognose heterodon nasicus . the western hognose h . nasicus has three sub - species , the plains hognose h . n . nasicus , the dusty hognose h . n . gloydi and the mexican hognose h . n . kennerlyi .
southern hognose snakes are carnivores , primarily consuming frogs , toads , lizards , small rodents and insects .
to deter predators , the southern hognose snake uses a variety of defensive behaviours including puffing up its head , flattening its neck , hissing continuously and pretending to strike . the snake also employs an alternative strategy , rolling onto its back and playing dead . the southern hognose snake’s defensive display is less elaborate than that of other hognose snakes ( 4 ) ( 6 ) ( 11 ) .
this species occurs widely in the united states , extending into southern canada . its range extends from southern new england through southern ontario to minnesota and south dakota , and south to southern texas , the gulf coast , and southern florida ( conant and collins 1991 , ernst and ernst 2003 ) .
embed this arkive thumbnail link (
portlet
) by copying and pasting the code below . < a href =
urltoken
title =
arkive species - southern hognose snake ( heterodon simus )
> < img src =
urltoken
alt =
arkive species - southern hognose snake ( heterodon simus )
title =
arkive species - southern hognose snake ( heterodon simus )
border =
0
/ > < / a >
jenson , j . 2004 . southern hognose snake heterodon simus . pp . 42 - 43 in r mirarchi , m bailey , t haggerty , t best , eds .
endemic to north america , the southern hognose snake is only found in the southeast of the united states . it is distributed from eastern north carolina to southern florida , and as far west as south - eastern mississippi . however , a recent population survey failed to locate the southern hognose snake in mississippi or alabama , and it is possible that it has been eliminated from these states ( 1 ) ( 4 ) .
reproduction : southern hognose snakes lay 6–14 eggs during the summer , and the babies look like miniature versions of the adults .
the fire ant ( solenopsis invicta ) , an invasive species introduced to the usa , predates on reptile eggs and hatchlings ( 13 ) . the specific impact these ants have on the southern hognose snake is unknown , but areas with heavy fire ant infestations have recorded a disappearance of the southern hognose snake ( 1 ) ( 4 ) ( 6 ) .
comments : harmless ( non - venomous ) . see comments under eastern hognose snake ( heterodon platirhinos ) .
beane , j . , s . graham , t . thorp , l . pusser . 2014 . natural history of the southern hognose snake ( heterodon simus ) in north carolina , usa .
the southern hognose snake ( h . simus ) has a more upturned snout , and the underside of its tail and belly are the same uniform , pale , color ( tennant , 2003 ) .
the southern southern hognose snake ( heterodon simus ) is the smallest member of the genus heterodon ( 4 ) . all members of the genus have a characteristic upturned snout ( 5 ) . this species has a tan coloured body with square blocks of brown running down its back , and orange scales between the brown patches . small , round , dark brown blotches run along its sides and it has a cream or light grey belly with no markings ( 4 ) ( 6 ) . the southern hognose snake is rough to the touch , as it has keeled , or ridged scales ( 7 ) . the female southern hognose snake is larger than the male ( 4 ) .
heterodon which means different tooth , is in reference to the characteristically enlarged dentition to the rear of the hognose snake’s mouth .
roadkill has been the main source of mortality for southern hog - nosed snakes and is opportunistically used as the main way to record snake populations .
the eastern hognose snake ' s favorite prey is toads , but it also preys on frogs , salamanders , small mammals , birds , and invertebrates . the eastern hognose snake uses its nose to root around for toads in their burrows . when a toad is disturbed by a hognose snake , it will often puff itself up like a balloon . the eastern hognose will uses his long rear fangs to pop the toad so it can swallow it .
color patterns in young southern hog - nosed snakes are the same as color patterns seen in the adult snakes . southern hog - nosed snakes display indeterminate growth patterns .
lack of proper fire management has resulted in the loss of dry sand hills , which are an important habitat for the southern hognose snake . road networks have also fragmented habitats , and although the southern hognose snake can withstand this disturbance , road mortality is a significant threat , especially for hatchlings ( 1 ) ( 4 ) ( 7 ) . further concerns include pesticide application and the habitual persecution of snakes by humans ( 1 ) .
the western hognose snake feeds on any animal that it can overpower and kill . their diet includes predominantly amphibians such as frogs , toads , and reptiles like small lizards and other small snake species .
strategic environmental research and development program . species profile : southern hognose snake ( heterodon sinus ) on military installations in southeastern united states . 98 - 4 . chapel hill , north carolina : the nature conservancy . 1998 .
global range : ( > 2 , 500 , 000 square km ( greater than 1 , 000 , 000 square miles ) ) the range extends from southern new england through southern ontario to minnesota and south dakota , and south to southern texas , the gulf coast , and southern florida ( conant and collins 1991 , ernst and ernst 2003 ) .
allen , r . 1994 . a profile of the western hognose snake ( heterodon nasicus ) . rephiberary 199 : 9 - 10 .
mccallum , m . l . 1995 . heterodon nasicus ( western hognose snake ) . herpetological review 26 ( 1 ) : 46 .
johns , n . 2000 .
western hognose snake
( on - line ) . accessed march 22 , 2002 at urltoken .
southern hog - nosed snakes prey on regional frogs , toads , lizards . the presence of southern hog - nosed snakes in the ecosystem affects the population of those prey . southern hog - nosed snakes are prey to various snakes , carnivorous mammals , and birds .
spreading adder , hog - nosed snake , adder , bastard rattlesnake , black adder , black blowing viper , black hog - nosed snake , black viper snake , blauser , blower , blowing adder , blowing snake , blow ( ing ) viper , blow snake , buckwheat - nose snake , calico snake , checkered adder , checquered adder , chunk head , common hog - nosed snake , common spreading adder , deaf adder , eastern hognose snake , flat - head , flat - head ( ed ) adder , hay - nose snake , hissing adder , hissing snake , hog - nosed adder , hog - nosed rattler , hog - nose snake , hog - nosed viper , hissing viper , ( mountain ) moccasin , north american adder , north american hog - nosed snake , pilot , poison viper , puff ( ing ) adder , red snake , rock adder , rossel bastard , sand adder , sand viper , spotted ( spreading ) adder , spread nelly , spread - head moccasin , spread - head snake , spread - head viper , flat - head adder ( spreading ) viper .
little is known about the southern hognose snake’s breeding biology , and most of the available information has been obtained through studying captive animals . the breeding season is thought to be from may to june , and the female southern hognose snake will lay a clutch of 6 to 14 eggs from late spring to early summer . the eggs take 65 to 70 days to hatch and the hatchlings emerge between mid - september and early october ( 4 ) ( 7 ) .
this hog - nosed snake has an immense range . it may be found along the atlantic seacoast from central new england to the southern tip of florida and then westward to central texas and central minnesota . it also occurs in southern ontario , canada .
a lack of information on the abundance and distribution of the southern hognose snake makes it difficult to determine the threats to this species . however , the most important factors are thought to be habitat loss and invasive species ( 4 ) .
iverson , j . b . 1995 . heterodon nasicus ( western hognose snake ) . reproduction . herpetological review 26 ( 4 ) : 206 .
the eastern hognose snake is found in woodlands with sandy soil , fields , farmland , and coastal areas . it is active during the day .
2000 .
western hognose snake
( on - line ) . arizona - sonora desert museum . accessed november 27 , 2004 at urltoken .
leclere , j .
iowa herpetology ( western hognose snake )
( on - line ) . accessed march 21 , 2002 at urltoken .
braddell , d . l . 1984 . a western record for the plains hognose snake in manitoba . blue jay 42 ( 4 ) : 196 .
hammack , s . h . 1991 . heterodon nasicus kennerlyi ( mexican hognose snake ) . oophagy . herpetological review 22 ( 4 ) : 132 .
lowe , d . 1997 . keeping and breeding the western hognose snake ( heterodon nasicus ) . herptile 22 ( 2 ) : 89 - 92 .
(
species profile : southern hognose snake ( heterodon sinus ) on military installations in southeastern united states
, 1998 ; beane , et al . , 2014 ; edgren , 1955 ; hammerson , 2007 ; tuberville , et al . , 2000 )
allen , s . 1997 .
western hognose snake
( on - line ) . colorado herpetologial society . accessed november 27 , 2004 at urltoken .
little is known about the longevity of southern hog - nosed snakes . eastern hog - nosed snakes (
a wide spread snake , the eastern hognose snake is found throughout the eastern united states from eastern - central minnesota to extreme south new hampshire south to south florida , west to east texas and west kansas . ( behler and king )
mattison , c . 1992 . reproduction in the dusty hognose snake , heterodon nasicus gloydi . litteratura serpentium english edition 12 ( 5 ) : 98 - 101 .
mcalister , w . h . 1963 . evidence of mild toxicity in the saliva of the hognose snake ( heterodon ) . herpetologica 19 : 132 - 137 .
the western hognose snake is a are relatively small but stout - bodied snake species with females being considerably larger than males . adult specimens typically reach about 2 feet ( 60 cm ) in length , with a maximum length of about 3 feet and
tuberville , t . , j . bodie , j . jensen , l . laclaire , j . gibbons . 2000 . apparent decline of the southern hog - nosed snake , heterodon simus .
contrary to popular belief , the southern hognose snake does not produce toxic venom and it is not considered to be a dangerous species , although it does have a painful bite ( 12 ) . it feeds mainly on toads , which it digs out of loose soil using its upturned snout . it then grasps the prey using its enlarged rear fangs ( 4 ) ( 6 ) ( 11 ) . although toads form the majority of the southern hognose snake’s diet , it also feeds on other small vertebrates such as lizards , mice and frogs ( 7 ) .
lighting - although hognose snakes are naturally diurnal , no special lighting setup is necessary .
pendlebury , g . b . 1976b . the western hognose snake , heterodon nasicus nasicus , in alberta . canadian field naturalist 90 ( 4 ) : 416 - 422 .
southern hognose snakes ( heterodon simus ) ; commonly known as puff adder , hissing adder , spreading adder , blow viper and the hissing sand snake , belongs to the colubridae family . they average in size between 14 to 21 inches long , with the record being 24 inches long .
southern hog - nosed snakes are most commonly found in very xeric , upland sand hills . other habitats may include forests , woodlands , river floodplains , and other dry soil areas . southern hog - nosed snakes inhabit longleaf pine (
lazcano , d . , jr . 1988 . life history notes . heterodon nasicus kennerlyi ( mexican hognose snake ) . coloration . herpetological review 19 ( 2 ) : 36 .
conservation status : southern hognose snakes have apparently declined in recent years and are of conservation concern throughout their range . they have not been found in alabama or mississippi since the 1970 ' s and are restricted to scattered locations in the states where they still occur . although introduced fire ants have been implicated in the decline of southern hognose snakes , they have certainly also suffered from loss of longleaf pine forest , urban sprawl , and conversion of upland habitats to agriculture . unfortunately , the secretive habits of this species have hampered study of their ecology and population dynamics . southern hognose snakes are protected throughout the state of georgia .
richardson , a . d . ( 2004 ) hognose snakes . capstone press , minnesota .
travis , c . a . , d . chiszar , and h . m . smith . heterodon nasicus ( western hognose snake ) . herpetological review 27 ( 4 ) : 212 .
the southern hognose snake is a secretive species and is rarely spotted in the wild , spending much of its time in underground in burrows , 20 to 30 centimetres below the surface . it is thought to be diurnal , emerging from its burrow in early morning or late afternoon ( 4 ) ( 11 ) .
southern trappers nuisance wildlife removal bonita springs , florida ph : 239 . 992 . 8966 cell : 239 . 405 . 2401
the western hognose is currently classified as least concern by the iucn . unlike their close relative the
censky , e . j . and c . j . mccoy . 1985 . geographic distribution . heterodon nasicus nasicus ( plains hognose snake ) . herpetological review 16 ( 2 ) : 60 .
fuller , s . r . 1981 . a case of envenomation by a western hognose snake , heterodon n . nasicus . northern ohio association of herpetological notes 9 ( 1 ) : 11 .
even though the western hognose snake as suffered some local declines it is still widespread today . like other species , they are affected by the conversion of the original prairie habitat to agricultural land .
have tails that are nearly all black . the tails of southern hog - nosed snakes are always a similar color to the rest of the ventral side . the hatchling snakes resemble the same coloration and blotch patterns of adult southern hog - nosed snakes .
southern hognose snakes are heavily thick bodied . their snouts are just sharply turned upwards and pointed . their color patterns consist of a light yellowish brown , some are tinted with an orange - red color , with dark blotches on their backs and smaller blotches on their sides . their bellies and tail are the same light pale gray color . their is a dark line that extends from its upper jaw thru the eye . southern hognose snakes have round pupils .
comparison with other species : the eastern hognose snake ( heterodon platirhinos ) has a light belly and underside of the tail , and a less upturned snout , and the pigmy rattlesnake ( sistrurus miliarius ) has a blunt nose – it is easy to distinguish between the harmless hognose snakes and pigmy rattlesnake .
the southern hognose snake can be found in dry , open areas , such as coastal sand dunes , river floodplains , and mixed oak - pine woodlands . it prefers sandy or loamy , well - drained soil , which it can easily burrow in ( 1 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) ( 9 ) ( 10 ) .
most common on sandy soils , the eastern hognose inhabits open woodlands , pasturelands , meadows and plains .
when most hognose snakes get excited or threatened they flatten their necks like a cobra . there ' s a myth that puff adders ( which spread their necks like hognose snakes ) mix poison with their breath and can kill a person up to a distance of 25 feet . if the threat persists , they turn over on their back and fake death . the western hognose snake usually does not perform this procedure .
habits : southern hognose snakes are active strictly by day and are often seen on warm mornings in the spring and fall . they are highly fossorial ( living underground ) and are most often encountered crossing roads that pass through sandy habitats . when confronted , hognose snakes often put on an elaborate threat display : they hiss ; spread the skin around their head and neck ( like a cobra ) , and feign striking . eventually , they will even play dead , rolling on their back and opening their mouth . despite this fairly convincing show , southern hognose snakes virtually never bite .
the southern hognose snake lays eggs . breeding takes place between april and august . males often follow the female around for several days prior to courtship and copulation . they lay between 6 - 14 whitish , thin shelled , leathery eggs , which hatch in 55 - 60 days . hatchlings are 6 - 7 inches ( 15 - 17 cm ) .
montgomery , c . and s . p . mackessy . 1999 . heterodon nasicus nasicus ( plains hognose snake ) . lack of paralysis following vertebral disjunction . herpetological review 30 ( 4 ) : 227 - 228 .
will feed with a motivation not unlike that of the hungriest rat snake ! it is quite comical to witness a juvenile eastern hognose in active pursuit of a live lizard . there is nothing graceful about it ! the
many discoveries involve specimens encountered out in the open . much of the time it is simply a matter of just focusing on the nearly invisible snake while you are visually scanning the ground during snake hunting . finding a
few people within its range are unfamiliar with the eastern hognose snake heterodon platyrhinos . having a whimsical face with large ominous eyes and a permanent smile , this snake leaves many who are so fortunate to find one with a feeling of bliss . it has a short , stocky structure and is quite animated , diverting our attention away from the fact that the eastern hognose is a powerful predator , often swallowing other animals while still alive !
the plains hognose snake ( h . nasicus ) , have a sandy ground color more of less uniformly , patterned with brown dorsolateral spots and their ventral scales are heavily pigmented with black spots ( tennant , 2003 ) .
young , r . a . 1992 . effects of duvernoy ' s gland secretions from the eastern hognose snake , heterodon platyrhinos , on smooth muscle and neuromuscular junction . toxicon 30 ( 7 ) : 775 - 779 .
it feeds mainly on spadefoot , southern , and oak toads . however , occasionally it may eat other frogs , lizards , and small rodents .
moore , j . e . 1953 . the hog - nosed snake in alberta . herpetologica 9 : 173 .
water - clean water must be available at all times in a bowl that is heavy enough that the snake will not constantly tip it over . with hognose snakes , particularly the western species , it is important to keep the cage dry . humidity is thought to possibly cause respiratory infections in hognose snakes , an illness that is often fatal .
southern hog - nosed snakes are oviparous and do not care for their eggs or hatchlings . once the eggs are deposited in shallow burrows , the parental investment stops . southern hog - nosed snakes have not been seen to return to the young or invest in the young once the eggs are laid .
, extends from southern canada to northern mexico . its range is bordered to the west by colorado and wyoming , and in the east by illinois .
goldberg , s . r . 2004a . reproduction in the western hognose snake , heterodon nasicus ( serpentes : colubridae ) from the southwestern part of its range . texas journal of science 56 ( 3 ) : 267 - 273 .
leavesley , l . k . 1987 . natural history and thermal relations of the western hognose snake ( heterodon nasicus ) in southwestern manitoba . m . s . thesis . university of manitoba , winnipeg , manitoba . 160 pp .
virtually nothing will persuade them to move until the threat is gone , the snake ' s body will be limp and lifeless if picked up . after a few minutes if it perceives no threat , the snake quickly slithers away .
smith , w . and c . wershler . 1989 . pilot project on the study of the western hognose snake in alberta . paper for alberta forestry , lands and wildlife by sweetgrass consultants ltd . , calgary , ab . 17pp .
one cannot help but to have a feeling of enlightenment while in the presence of an eastern hognose snake and though many adore them , there are those that fear them and find them to be the epitome of all that is evil .
like other hognose snake species , they get their common name from their
hog - like
appearance due to a modified and strongly upturned rostral scale present in their snout . this particular adaptation also makes them snakes very good burrowers .
southern hognose snakes are found in northern florida as far south as lake okeechobee . their preferred habitats include areas such as sand - hills , scrub , high pine and turkey oak hard - woods , hard - wood hammocks , meadows , dry river floodplains and cultivated fields .
(
species profile : southern hognose snake ( heterodon sinus ) on military installations in southeastern united states
, 1998 ; beane , et al . , 2010 ; beane , et al . , 2014 ; behler and king , 1979 ; conant and collins , 1998 ; edgren , 1955 ; gibbons and dorcas , 2005 ; jensen , 2008 ; jenson , 2004 ; oliver , 1955 )
webb , r . g . and c . m . eckerman . 1998 . neotype and type locality of the western hognose snake , heterodon nasicus ( serpentes : colubridae ) . texas journal of science 50 ( 2 ) : 99 - 106 .
eastern hognose snakes first mate when they are around two years old . they mate in the spring . the female lays 15 - 25 eggs in a depression in sandy soil or under a rock or log . the eggs incubate in 1 - 2 months . in the winter , eastern hognose snakes will dig a burrow to hibernate in or use an abandoned fox , skunk , or woodchuck den . predators of the eastern hognose snake include owls , hawks , skunks , opossums , and other snakes ,
enge , k . , k . wood . 2002 . a pedestrian road survey of an upland snake community in florida .
painter , c . w . , b . r . tomberlin , and j . p . brastad . 1996 . serpentes : heterodon nasicus kennerlyi ( mexican hognose snake ) : maximum size . herpetological review 27 ( 4 ) : 203 - 204 .
suggests that the age of sexual maturity for southern hog - nosed snakes ranges from 2 - 3 years and that generation length is estimated from 5 - 10 years . it ' s likely that growth is indeterminate , as it the case for most reptiles . however , no literature has confirmed this for southern hog - nosed snakes .
- found in all of texas excluding the panhandle , trans - pecos texas and the extreme southern rio grande valley , eastern oklahoma , southeastern missouri and southeastern kansas .
when threatened , they usually behave similarly to eastern hognose snakes , but may be more reluctant to put on such a show .
wright , j . 1998 . status of the plains hognose snake ( heterodon nasicus nasicus ) in alberta . alberta environmental protection , fisheries & wildlife management divison , and alberta conservation association , wildlife status report no . 15 , edmonton , ab . 26pp .
southern hog - nosed snakes have diets consisting of toads , lizards , frogs , and small vertebrates . toads are the most common prey and include eastern spadefoot toads ( scaphiopus holbrookii ) and southern toads ( anaxyrus terrestris or anaxyrus terrestris ) . members of the genus ( lithobates ) , barking tree frogs ( hyla gratiosa ) , and ornate chorus frogs ( pseudacris ornata ) are frogs that southern hog - nosed snakes consume . lizards eaten by these snakes include six - lined racerunners ( cnemidophorus sexlineatus ) and ground skinks ( scincella lateralis ) . although extremely uncommon , rough stinkbugs ( brochymena arborea ) have been found in the stomach of few captured southern hog - nosed snakes .
range : uncommon to rare , but occasionally found throughout northern florida south to lake okeechobee . outside of florida , it is found from southern mississippi east to north carolina .
, have a maximum longevity of 9 . 1 years . the assumed generation time of the southern hog - nosed snakes is 5 years . annual mortality rates are unknown .
wilkie , b . 1996 . force feeding snakes . my experience with rat snakes and western hognose snakes . rephiberary 221 : 10 .
weinstein , s . a . and keyler , d . e . ( 2009 ) local envenoming by the western hognose snake ( heterodon nasicus ) : a case report and review of medically signiﬁcant heterodon bites . toxicon , 54 ( 3 ) : 354 - 360 .
tuberville , t . d . , j . r . bodie , j . b . jensen , l . laclaire , and j . w . gibbons . 2000 . apparent decline of the southern hog - nosed snake , heterodon simus . journal of the elisa mitchell scientific society 116 : 19 - 40 .
at birth , the western hognose hatchlings are fully developed and around 5 to 9 inches ( 13–23 cm ) in total length . they reach sexual maturity at approximately 2 years of age , although the size is more important and not so much the snake ' s age .
sexton , o . j . 1979 . remarks on defensive behavior of hognose snakes , heterodon . herpetological review 10 : 86 - 87 .
some of the western hognose predators include fox , coyotes , hawks , crows , raccoons , larger snakes and both domestic cats and dogs .
comments : adult population size is unknown but surely exceeds 100 , 000 . this snake is fairly common in many parts of its range .
has a life expectancy of around fourteen years in the wild . for the most part this is average in comparison to other snake species .
hognose snakes feed almost exclusively on toads , although they will occasionally consume other prey . they seem to be immune to poisons produced by toads , and are equipped with enlarged teeth ( called rear fangs ) in the back of their mouths that are used to puncture inflated toads so that they may be more easily swallowed . female southern hognose snakes lay 6 - 14 eggs in sandy soil or logs in the early summer . the eggs hatch in september - october .
tuberville , t . d . , bodie , j . r . , jensen , j . b . , laclaire , l . and gibbons , j . w . ( 2000 ) apparent decline of the southern hog - nosed snake , heterodon simus . journal of the elisha mitchell scientific society , 116 : 19 - 40 .
the species name platyrhinos directs to the snake ' s upturned snout . this enlarged , upturned rostral scale aids this fossorial snake not only as a tool to root out their preferred diet of amphibians from a daytime retreat beneath the earth’s surface , but also as a tool for burrowing into loose substrate .
is a relatively short , stocky snake with mildly keeled scales and may reach lengths in the neighborhood of 48 inches with most individuals being considerably smaller .
did you know ? in colder climates some snakes
hibernate
in the winter , this is called brumation , find more snake facts for kids .
roth , j . j . , b . j . johnson , and h . m . smith . 1989 . the western hognose snake , heterodon nasicus , west of the continental divide in colorado , and its implications . bulletin of the chicago herpetological society 24 ( 9 ) : 161 - 163 .
have declined by a considerable amount in certain regions , and as a result western hognose snakes are listed as threatened or even endangered in some of the states in which they reside . these states include iowa and illinois . numerous human developments have pushed western hognose snakes from their sandy habitat into more wooded areas , where it is ill - equipped for survival . in these states there are programs to help save these snakes ' habitats . in the southern states , such as texas and new mexico , western hognose snakes are quite common . in these areas there is no shortage of the sandy areas which are optimal for these snakes , so they are able to thrive .
blake , p . 1993 . success with odour manipulation and western hognose snakes , heterodon nasicus nasicus . herptological review 18 ( 2 ) : 60 - 61 .
rolling hills zoo , 2001 - 2002 .
rolling hills refuge
( on - line ) . western hognose . accessed march 21 , 2002 at urltoken .
ruzicka , i . 2000 . curious facts from keeping the western hog - nosed snake heterodon nasicus . akvarium terarium 43 ( 3 ) : 61 - 62 .
various people have questioned whether or not this snake is actually venomous . however , an article published by michael a . morris describes the effects that the bite of
the presence of the upturned snout in the southern hog - nosed snakes allows the species to dig up their prey . their large posterior maxillary teeth puncture the prey ; this is specifically important for the southern hog - nosed snakes due to the prey ( many toads and frogs ) inflating themselves when attacked . the act of puncturing the prey deflates the toads or frogs and makes the animal easier for the snakes to swallow .
) brought to the snakes habitat around the 1980s ( bean et al . 2014 ) . the introduction of these ants to southern hog - nosed snakes ' ecosystem has greatly affected their young survival and overall population .
this care sheet is by no means intended as a comprehensive guide to hognose snakes . for further information , read as much as you can about these beautiful reptiles .
some communication occurs with other species . this communication involves visual signals , noises , and sometimes tactile cues . when western hognose snakes encounter a potential predator , they will at first hiss , and flatten their heads and necks to make themselves appear larger . if this fails to ward off the predator , the snake may strike - - although it does not bite , apparently , this movement is threatening . if this fails , the snake will feign death in hopes that the predator will lose interest .
an ideal pet snake , because it is extremely docile and rarely bites . once handled by humans enough , the snakes are calm and there is little or no danger of them biting . this snake has an extremely mild venom , and so does not pose a health risk to humans even if a human manages to get bitten .
are strict amphibian feeders . although in the wild , eastern hognose snakes are often encountered while swallowing the toads with which they frequently feed upon , captive keepers have learned that the diet of this snake is actually quite diverse . even the juveniles are opportunists , taking insects as well as lizards and possibly other reptiles in addition to amphibians .
hunziker , r . 1990 . the best defense : an introduction to hognose snakes . tropical fish hobbyist 39 ( 4 ) : 106 - 108 , 110 - 115 .
has two main anti - predator adaptations , both of whihc are behavioral . the first line of defense for this snake is to make itself appear larger by making its head and neck flatter . this flattening is accompanied by extremely loud hissing and blowing , whihc apparently makes the individual seem enraged and dangerous . if this defense fails to ward off a predator , the snake will shift into phase two of its defense . this begins with the snake spasming uncontrollably , and then rolling over on its back , lying motionless . western hognose snakes will feign death in order to make a predator lose interest . when an indivudual perceives an absence of danger , it will resume its activities .
snakes as well as northern black racers and southern alligator lizards seem to be mite magnets ! be diligent in your cleanliness and make daily inspections so that if a problem begins it can be kept within the boundaries of control .
kugelberg , a . 1991 . western hognosed snake , heterodon n . nasicus . newsletter of the australian society of herpetologists incorporated 34 ( 7 ) : 147 - 149 .
(
species profile : southern hognose snake ( heterodon sinus ) on military installations in southeastern united states
, 1998 ; beane , et al . , 2010 ; beane , et al . , 2014 ; behler and king , 1979 ; blair , et al . , 1957 ; conant and collins , 1998 ; gibbons and dorcas , 2005 ; gibbons and semlitsch , 1991 ; holman , 2000 ; jensen , 2008 ; jenson , 2004 ; palmer and braswell , 1995 ; richardson , 2003 ; tuberville , et al . , 2000 ; wright and wright , 1957 )
the presence of an upturned snout that is spade - like and keeled , in combination with keeled dorsal scales , a dark - patterned belly , a divided anal scale , and the absence of tail rattles and facial pit , distinguishes the western hog - nosed snake from all other snakes native to montana . the color pattern is described as similar to both the gophersnake and the prairie rattlesnake , but neither of these , nor any other snake in montana , has an upturned nose like the western hog - nosed snake .
kroll , j . c . 1977 . self - wounding while death feigning by western hognose snakes ( heterodon nasicus ) . copeia 1977 ( 2 ) : 372 - 373 .
this snake is endemic to the southeast of the united states . it occurs on the coastal plain from eastern north carolina to southern florida ( lake okeechobee ) , west to southeastern mississippi ( conant and collins 1991 , palmer and braswell 1995 , tennant 1997 , ernst and ernst 2003 ) . it is now very rare ( or possibly extirpated ) in the western part of the range in mississippi and alabama .
brant , r . 1993 . a failed attempt to breed the western hog - nose snake , heterodon nasicus nasicus . herptological review 18 ( 2 ) : 62 - 64 .
southern hog - nosed snakes are not venomous and will rarely ever bite , even when provoked . the main purpose for their sharp posterior fangs are to ensure capture of prey and to deflate any toads that may inflate themselves when consumed .
cooper , w . , s . secor . 2007 . strong response to anuran chemical cues by an extreme dietary specialist , the eastern hog - nosed snake ( heterodon platirhinos ) .
burghardt , g . m . and h . w . greene . 1988 . predator simulation and duration of death feigning in neonate hognose snakes . animal behaviour 36 : 1842 - 1843 .
although they are considered a non - venomous snake , these snakes do possesses a potentially irritating saliva that in the extremely rare case of a bite may cause local itching and slight swelling .
smith , h . m . and f . n . white . 1955 . adrenal enlargement and its significance in the hognose snakes . ( heterodon ) . herpetologica 11 : 137 - 144 .
enge , k . m . , and k . n . wood . 2002 . a pedestrian road survey of an upland snake community in florida . southeastern naturalist 1 : 365 - 380 .
had on him . he experienced swelling and tenderness of the bitten are for two days , and came to the conclusion that the snake does have venom with hemotoxic effects ( morris 1985 ) .
there is also the importance of cleanliness . eastern hognose snakes should always have a fresh , shallow water container readily available to them and should never be handled in the event that you are ill .
burbrink , f . t . , phillips , c . a . and heske , e . j . ( 1998 ) a riparian zone in southern illinois as a potential dispersal corridor for reptiles and amphibians . biological conservation , 86 : 107 - 115 .
southern hog - nosed snakes are not venomous , yet some humans believe them to be and will kill them on contact . they rarely ever bite humans . if they do , it is not a common behavior . there are no known negative economic effects of
will feign death when this bluffing behavior fails to ward off an enemy . in this case , the snake turns belly up . this behavior is apparently induced by parasympathetic arousal or adrenal medullary function .
[ vtnwi ] vtn wyoming incorporated . no date . second year ' s analysis of terrestrial wildlife on proposed mine access and railroad routes in southern montana and northern wyoming , march 1979 - february 1980 . vtn wyoming incorporated . sheridan , wy . 62 p .
platt , d . r . 1969 . natural history of the hognose snakes heterodon platyrhinos and heterodon nasicus . museum of natural history . university of kansas publications 18 ( 4 ) : 253 - 420 .
as soon as young western hognose snakes hatch they are fully developed , but just smaller in size at about 14 to 18 centimeters . within hours the young are fully capable of actively searching out prey .
eastern hognose snakes are occasionally available in the exotic pet trade , but due to their specific dietary requirements , they are not as readily available as other species . generally , they refuse feeder rodents unless they are scented with amphibians . in canada , eastern hognose snakes are considered to be a species - at - risk ( cosewic designation : threatened ) , and consequently capture or harassment of these animals , including their captive trade , is illegal .
full spectrum light is always beneficial , if not for the physical health benefits , then for the psychological benefits to the snake . full spectrum lighting also improves the appearance of the captive environment by enhancing overall natural colors .
kroll , j . c . 1973 . comparative physiological ecology of eastern and western hognose snakes ( heterodon platyrhinos and h . nasicus ) . ph . d . thesis , texas a & m ; university 261p . 1973 .
plummer , m . v . and n . e . mills . 2000 . spatial ecology and survivorship of resident and translocated hognose snakes ( heterodon platirhinos ) . journal of herpetology 34 ( 4 ) : 565 - 575 .
eastern hog - nosed snakes are native only to the nearctic . they are found throughout the united states east of the rocky mountains and into southern canada . they are absent from some areas in the great lakes region , such as the areas south of lakes ontario and erie and eastern wisconsin .
kolbe , j . j . 1999 . size and demographic structure of an isolated population of western hognose snakes , heterodon nasicus , in northwestern illinois . bulletin of the chicago herpetological society 34 ( 6 ) : 149 - 152 .
the western hognose mating season occurs between june and august but they have been observed in copulating as early as the months of february and march . females release a chemical which is picked up by males actively searching for receptive females .
hiding - hognose snakes need a hiding spot to feel secure , which also replicates their natural behavior in the wild . a hiding spot can be fashioned from almost anything - plastic or rock caves purchased commercially , or small boxes with a hole cut out for access . the hiding place should be just large enough to allow the snake to fit in - remember , snakes are never claustrophobic , in fact they like being wedged into small snug places . ideally , your cage would have two hide spots , one on the heated portion and one on the unheated side . this way , the snake does not have to choose between their natural inclination to hide and the need to thermoregulate .
southern hog - nosed snakes are fossorial . the burrow depth ranges from 0 . 20 - 0 . 46 m below the surface of the ground . if the snakes do not burrow down into the ground as is most common , they still resort to shelter under piles of brush or in bushes .
the western hognose does have somewhat of resemblance to a rattlesnake , particularly a juvenile rattlesnake , and often is mistaken for one . so they are very often killed by people out of fear , thinking they are venomous and dangerous snakes .
the geographic range is southern canada throughout central u . s . a . and to eastern mexico . their food in the wild is mainly toads , small rodents , nestling birds , lizards , and amphibians . their habitat is usually prairies , abandoned farmland , sparsely wooded flood plains , or sandy soil .
potential predators of southern hog - nosed snakes include common kingsnakes ( lampropeltis getula ) , eastern indigo snakes ( drymarchon couperi ) , red - tailed hawks ( buteo jamaicensis ) , and other various carnivorous mammals and birds . eggs and hatchlings specifically have seen predation by red imported fire ants ( solenopsis invicta ) .
tuberville et al . ( 2000 ) showed that southern hog - nosed snakes have declined over the past few decades . the main reason for this decline is loss of natural habitat . habitats for the snakes have been disrupted by logging , agriculture , housing , pine plantations , and fire exclusion . longleaf pine (
is certainly bound to be the highlight of any snake hunters’ day . in his brilliant piece of work “this broken archipelago , ” author skip lazell jr . , states “hognose snakes on cape cod are scarce enough to make finding one an exciting event , but common enough so it is likely a good hunter will get one with patience . ” ( james d . lazell , jr . 1976 ) this statement couldn’t be any closer to the truth ! the difficulty in finding the
a word should be mentioned on the subject of venom . the hognose snakes are classified as opisthoglyphs , which is to say that they are rear fanged and are grouped together with the harmless lyre snakes trimorphodon and night snakes hypsiglena as well as other presumably harmless rear fanged species . the hognose possess a duvernoys gland which is located in the upper jaw . the duvernoys gland is an adaptation which in many species of rear fanged snakes produce powerful proteins which aid in the digestion process .
) have an extremely keen and specific sense of smell and ability to pick up chemical signals from prey by flicking their tongue . it is believed that the chemosensory qualities in southern hog - nosed snakes are most closely related to those of the eastern hog - nosed snakes due to their genetic similarities in body structure and similarities of prey choice . the tongue is flicked and picks up vomodors , or chemical signals , from nearby prey . those signals enter the mouth via the tongue and are received by the vomeronasal organ . in eastern hog - nosed snakes , the speed and number of tongue flicks increases greatly when southern toads (
) , for which southern hog - nosed snakes are often misjudged . keeled scales of the snakes are lined in rows of either 23 or 25 along the body . the keeled scales give the snakes a rough textured body . the anal plate is divided , and the ventral scales are the same width as their body .
nests of southern hog - nosed snakes have been reported 10 - 15cm below the surface . females are responsible for this preparation of the nests as seen in captive environments . in captivity , females were observed making u - shaped burrows and took about 3 . 5 hours to complete the nests ( edgren , 1955 ) .
if you have additional questions about hognose snakes try to attend one of the lihs monthly meetings . you can e - mail us at info @ urltoken or write or call the lihs at the address / phone number at the top of this sheet .
to be highly susceptible to respiratory infections . oddly , in my experience i have found these infections to manifest themselves quite unobtrusively . it is often too late when you discover the snake is actually sick . rarely have i seen nasal discharge from an eastern
anti - predator behaviors displayed by southern hog - nosed snakes include body puffing and death feigning . in the former behavior snakes will flatten their heads creating a hood and puff up their body to try and scare away predators . their latter anti - predator behavior is seen when the snakes roll on their dorsal side and play dead .
when they aren ' t active these snakes spend most of their time in existing or self - made burrows . western hognose snakes are primarily diurnal . they brumate every year from september to march , only becoming active at the beginning of the mating season .
breeding most commonly occurs once a year but has been reported less commonly twice a year . copulation in southern hog - nosed snakes most commonly occurs from mid may to early june , but mating has been observed less frequently in the fall between september and october . in late - season mating instances , it’s unknown if there is delayed fertilization .
) ecosystems have been altered by the restriction of prescribed fire and have contributed to their decline . southern hog - nosed snakes rely heavily on the ecosystem of longleaf pines and their decline has been directly correlated to the decline of those forests . another area of decline for the snakes is through the attack of the invasive red imported fire ant (
although it ' s typically a docile snake if threatened or even perceiving a threat it will spread its jaws and flatten its neck giving it a hooded appearance in a cobra like fashion . if harassed it will hiss and make mock strikes with a closed mouth .
the western hognose also adapted to live in human modified areas including extensive agriculture and semi agricultural areas not intensively cultivated and in the margins of irrigation ditches . they are found at elevations ranging from near sea level to around 8 , 000 feet ( 2400 m ) .
it is a highly adaptable snake and can be found in a variety of habitat in coniferous and deciduous forest , including forest which abuts salt marsh and fresh water swamps . eastern hognose snakes are frequently found in the rocky outcrops of higher elevations , they can be found from sea level to 2 , 500 ( behler and king ) and along open stretches of sandy soil and beach . the author lives on cape cod in massachusetts where the species is relatively common in the pine barrens which make up much of the natural landscape there .
daghfous , g . , m . smargiassi , p . libourel , r . wattiez , v . bels . 2012 . the function of oscillatory tongue - flicks in snakes : insights from kinematics of tongue - flicking in the banded water snake ( nerodia fasciata ) .
the body color of southern hog - nosed snakes is consistently light brown , grey , and tan with dark brown spots ( also referred to as blotches ) alternating along the dorsal side of the body , larger spots along the top and smaller spots along the sides . the spots do not take up the whole width of the their bodies , but give a patterned mosaic look . the ventral side of southern hog - nosed snakes is solid grey to tan color , and is not distinctly different from the lighter colors on the dorsal side . oftentimes an orange , yellow , or red line will continue down the dorsal side , setting them apart from all other members of the genus . eastern hog - nosed snakes
as a defense mechanism , the eastern hognose snake will sometimes put on an elaborate display when disturbed . in an effort so dramatic it will flatten its head and upper third of its body , and appearing to be larger than life , it will hiss and aggressively strike outward ( most often with mouth closed ) , poking at intruders with a rigid , upturned snout . if it has not scared you away with this formidable display , it quickly takes on a more submissive persona and in a graceful , almost artistic display , it will often feign death .


pelagia benovici ( piraino , aglieri , scorrano & boero , 2014 ) is a jellyfish in the family pelagiidae , along with pelagia noctiluca .

in latin , pelagia means " of the sea " .

pelagia benovici

no one has contributed data records for pelagia benovici yet . learn how to contribute .
a new species of jellyfish , pelagia benovici , was discovered off the coast of venice , italy .
piraino and his colleagues published their description of the new jellyfish—dubbed pelagia benovici—this month in the journal zootaxa .
piraino and his colleagues published their description of the new jellyfish —dubbed pelagia benovici— this month in the journal zootaxa .
in latin , pelagia means
of the sea
. the team who discovered this jellyfish named it benovici , after a late colleague , adam benovic .
redescription of pelagia benovici into a new jellyfish genus , mawia , gen . nov . , and its phylogenetic position within pelagiidae ( cnidaria : scyphozoa : semaeostomeae )
redescription of pelagia benovici into a new jellyfish genus , mawia , gen . nov . , and its phylogenetic position within pelagiidae ( cnidaria : scyphozoa : semaeostomeae ) invertebrate systematics , 2016 , 30 , 523–546 urltoken
the december issue of invertebrate systematics an article with the description of a new genus mawia under the title redescription of pelagia benovici into a new jellyfish genus , mawia , gen . nov . , and its phylogenetic position within pelagiidae ( cnidaria : scyphozoa : semaeostomeae ) .
scientists including boero set about trawling records of known jellyfish species to try to identify it , but found no match .
it ' s a new species ,
said boero . the team decided on the name pelagia benovici , after a late colleague , adam benovic .
the jellyfish - spotting project is no longer receiving reports of pelagia benovici , whose sudden appearance appears to have lasted until march .
but jellyfish have this erratic distribution . they are present in their millions , then they disappear and then they come back ,
said boero .
russell , f . s . ( 1964 ) on scyphomedusae of the genus pelagia . journal of the marine biological association uk , 44 , 133–136 . urltoken
to cite this page : leverenz , e . 2000 .
pelagia noctiluca
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
mawia benovici was noticed in september 2013 in the northern adriatic in the catch of small pelagic fish and attracted attention immediately . a survey of older observations revealed its presence in the gulf of trieste in february of 2005 by documented photograph . original image of mawia benovici was made by tihomir makovec . the geographic origin of the species is still unclear . authors of research are massimo avian , andreja ramšak , valentina tirelli , isabella d’ambra , alenka malej .
they found that it bore similarities to pelagia noctiluca , a mauve jellyfish known for its venomous stings , which wiped out a 100 , 000 - strong salmon farm in northern ireland in 2007 .
quite how pelagia benovici got to the north adriatic and within the venice lagoon remains a mystery . scientists think it was probably introduced to the area in the ballast water of ships . in the 1980s , mnemiopsis leidyi , a kind of comb jellyfish known as the sea walnut , was suspected to have been introduced into the black sea via the ballast water of merchant ships . its arrival caused a dramatic decline in the local fish populations .
cornelius , p . f . s . ( 2013 ) pelagia péron & lesueur , 1810 . available from : urltoken aphia . php ? p = taxdetails & id = 135262 ( accessed 4 march 2014 )
piraino , s . ; aglieri , g . ; martell , l . ; mazzoldi , c . ; melli , v . ; milisenda , g . ; scorrano , s . ; boero , f . ( 2014 ) . pelagia benovici sp . nov . ( cnidaria , scyphozoa ) : a new jellyfish in the mediterranean sea . zootaxa . 3794 ( 3 ) : 455 - 468 . , available online at urltoken [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
experts aren ' t sure where p . benovici comes from , but it ' s a good bet that it could be native to the indian ocean , says marine biologist mills . it ' s an understudied part of the world known for a surprising amount of diversity in marine organisms .
gul , s . & morandini , a . c . ( 2013 ) new records of scyphomedusae from pakistan coast : catostylus perezi and pelagia cf . noctiluca ( cnidaria : scyphozoa ) . marine biodiversity records , 6 , e86 . urltoken
pelagia , like other jellyfish in the scyphozoan order semaeostomeae are mainly distinguished from the other orders by having simple oral arms with frilled or folded lips . the order semaestomae comprises three families : pelagiidae , cyaneidae , and ulmaridae , distinguishable by the following characters :
miller , b . j . , von der heyden , s . & gibbons , m . j . ( 2012 ) significant population genetic structuring of the holoplanktic scyphozoan pelagia noctiluca in the atlantic ocean . african journal of marine science , 34 ( 3 ) , 425–430 .
stopar , k . , ramšak , a . , trontelj , p . & malej , a . ( 2010 ) lack of genetic structure in the jellyfish pelagia noctiluca ( cnidaria : scyphozoa : semaeostomeae ) across european seas . molecular phylogenetics and evolution , 57 , 417–428 .
researchers are just starting to get to know p . benovici , and much work remains to be done . they aren ' t sure how painful its stings are , since many of the fishers who handled the jellyfish wore gloves . and they aren ' t sure what it eats , although closely related species are carnivores that eat fish eggs and larvae , as well as tiny crustaceans , says piraino .
researchers are just starting to get to know p . benovici , and much work remains to be done . they aren ' t sure how painful its stings are , since many of the fishers who handled the jellyfish wore gloves . and they aren ' t sure what it eats , although closely related species are carnivores that eat fish eggs and larvae , as well as tiny crustaceans , says piraino .
canepa , a . , fuentes , v . , sabatés , a . , piraino , s . , boero , f . & gili , j . m . ( 2014 ) pelagia noctiluca in the mediterranean sea . in : pitt , k . a . & lucas , c . h . ( eds . ) , jellyfish bloom . springer , netherlands , pp . 237–266 . urltoken
in vitro experiments on developmental stages and fertilization in pelagia noctiluca ( forskål ) confirm previous observations both in the laboratory ( rottini sandrini & avian , 1983 ) and in the field ( rot‐tini sandrini et al . , 1983 / 84 ) that sea temperature exerts a marked effect on this species . development slows down at 13 . 5°c compared with 19°c . no development is observed at 4 . 5°c .
cornelius , p . f . s . ( 1996 ) pelagia flaveola eschscholtz 1829 ( little brown stinger or little yellow stinger ) . in : williamson , j . a . , fenner , p . j . , burnett , j . w . & rifkin , j . r . ( eds . ) , venomous and poisonous marine animals : a medical and biological handbook . university of new south wales press , sydney , pp . 230–231 .
it is a member of the cnidarian class scyphozoa and adapted to a pelagic mode of life . whereas most scyphozoan jellyfish ( also called scyphomedusae ) have a complex life cycle with both the pelagic ( swimming ) jellyfish , or medusa , stage and a bottom - living polyp stage , pelagia has adapted in such a way that the polyp stage is absent , thus direct development exists . the male and female jellyfish spawn respectively sperm and eggs , which develop directly into young jellyfish .
. . . on the basis of the observed sensitivity of polyps to low temperatures , it was suggested that the dispersal of rhopilema nomadica could be limited to the eastern mediterranean [ 95 ] . the nematocysts of rhopilema nomadica were studied using light and electron microscopy and three morphological types were identified : heterotrichous isorhiza haploneme , holotrichous isorhiza haploneme and heterotrichous microbasic eurytele ; the latter is typical of scyphozoans and was recognized as similar to those from pelagia and rhizostoma [ 97 ] . this species , existing in huge numbers , poses a big threat to humans producing burning , pain and redness of the affected skin that is counteracted by topical treatment with vinegar . . . .
scientists in italy say they have discovered a new species of jellyfish in the gulf of venice .
sightings of yellow jellyfish in the north adriatic sea were reported to a citizen science project last year , said ferdinando boero , a zoologist .
people were saying , this jellyfish is not in your poster [ of the region ' s known jellyfish ] , we don ' t know what it is ,
said boero , from the university of salento .
they were in their thousands . fishermen had them in their nets . they couldn ' t fish easily because there were so many jellyfish .
could this new species pose the same kind of threat ?
we really don ' t know because there have not been so many investigations besides what it is . what it does is a completely different story ,
said boero .
there have to be more investigations about it .
© 2018 guardian news and media limited or its affiliated companies . all rights reserved .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
carlotta mazzoldi dipartimento di biologia e stazione idrobiologica umberto d’ancona , chioggia , università di padova .
valentina melli dipartimento di biologia e stazione idrobiologica umberto d’ancona , chioggia , università di padova .
bayha , k . m . & dawson , m . n . ( 2010 ) new family of allomorphic jellyfishes , drymonematidae ( scyphozoa , discomedusae ) , emphasizes evolution in the functional morphology and trophic ecology of gelatinous zooplankton . biological bulletin woods hole , 219 , 249–67 .
bayha , k . m . , dawson , m . n . , collins , a . g . , barbeitos , m . s . & haddock , s . h . ( 2010 ) evolutionary relationships among scyphozoan jellyfish families based on complete taxon sampling and phylogenetic analyses of 18s and 28s ribosomal dna . integrative and comparative biology , 50 ( 3 ) , 436–455 . urltoken
boero , f . ( 2013 ) review of jellyfish blooms in the mediterranean and black sea . studies and reviews . general fisheries commission for the mediterranean 92 , fao , rome , 54 pp .
boero , f . , bouillon , j . , gravili , c . , miglietta , m . p . , parsons , t . & piraino , s . ( 2008 ) gelatinous plankton : irregularities rule the world ( sometimes ) . marine ecology progress series , 356 , 299–310 . urltoken
brotz , l . & pauly , d . ( 2012 ) jellyfish populations in the mediterranean sea . acta adriatica , 53 , 211–230 .
ciesm ( 2001 ) gelatinous zooplankton outbreaks : theory and practice . ciesm worshop series 14 , mediterreanan science commission , monaco , 112 pp .
cornelius , p . f . s . ( 1997 ) class scyphozoa – jellyfish . in : richmond , m . d . ( ed . ) , a guide to the seashores of eastern africa and the western indian ocean islands . sida / department for research cooperation , sarec , stockholm , pp . 122–125 .
dawson , m . n . ( 2005 ) cyanea capillata is not a cosmopolitan jellyfish : morphological and molecular evidence for c . annaskala and c . rosea ( scyphozoa : semaeostomeae : cyaneidae ) in south - eastern australia . invertebrate systematics , 19 , 361–370 .
dawson , m . n . & jacobs , d . ( 2001 ) molecular evidence for cryptic species of aurelia aurita ( cnidaria , schyphozoa ) . biological bullettin woods hole , 200 , 92–96 .
dawson , m . n . , raskoff , k . & jacobs , d . ( 1998 ) preservation of marine invertebrate tissues for dna analyses . molecular marine biology and biotechnology , 7 , 145–152 .
folmer , o . , black , m . , hoeh , w . , lutz , r . & vrijenhoek , r . ( 1994 ) dna primers for amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit i from diverse metazoan invertebrates . molecular marine biology and biotechnology , 3 , 294–299 .
galil , b . s . ( 2009 ) taking stock : inventory of alien species in the mediterranean sea . biological invasions , 11 , 359–372 . urltoken
galil , b . s . ( 2012 ) truth and consequences : the bioinvasion of the mediterranean sea . integrative zoology , 7 , 299–311 . urltoken
galil , b . s . , kumar , b . a . & riyas , a . j . ( 2013 ) marivagia stellata galil and gershwin , 2010 ( scyphozoa : rhizostomeae : cepheidae ) , found off the coast of kerala , india . bioinvasions records , 2 , 317–318 . urltoken
galil , b . s . , spanier , e . & ferguson , w . ( 1990 ) the scyphomedusae of the mediterranean coast of israel , including two lessepsian migrants new to the mediterranean . zoologisches mededlingen , 64 , 95–105 .
galil , b . s . , gershwin , l . - a . , douek , j . & rinkevich , b . ( 2010 ) marivagia stellata gen . et sp . nov . ( scyphozoa : rhizostomeae : cepheidae ) , another alien jellyfish from the mediterranean coast of israel . aquatic invasions , 5 , 331–340 . urltoken
gershwin , l . - a . & collins , a . g . ( 2002 ) a preliminary phylogeny of pelagiidae ( cnidaria , scyphozoa ) , with new observations of chrysaora colorata comb . nov . journal of natural history , 36 , 127–148 . urltoken
huang , x . & madan , a . ( 1999 ) cap3 : a dna sequence assembly program . genome research , 9 , 868–877 . urltoken
kramp , p . ( 1961 ) synopsis of the medusae of the world . journal of the marine biological association uk , 40 , 1–469 . urltoken
krasinska , s . ( 1914 ) beiträge zur histologie der medusen . zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche zoologie , 109 , 256–348 .
lewinsohn , c . & holthuis , l . b . ( 1978 ) on a new species of alpheus ( crustacea decapoda , natantia ) from the eastern medeterranean . zoologisches mededlingen , 53 , 75–82 .
maas , o . ( 1903 ) die scyphomedusen der siboga expedition . siboga expedition monographs , 11 , 1–91 . urltoken
maddison , d . r . & maddison , w . p . ( 2005 ) macclade 4 : analysis of phylogeny and character evolution . version 4 . 08a . available from : urltoken ( accessed 25 april 2014 ) .
mariscal , r . ( 1974 ) nematocysts . in : muscatine , l . & lenhoff , h . ( eds . ) , coelenterate biology . reviews and new perspectives . academic press , new york , pp . 129–178 .
menon , m . g . k . ( 1930 ) the scyphomedusae of madras and the neighbouring coast . bulletin of the madras government museum , 3 , 1–28 .
mianzan , h . w . & cornelius , p . ( 1999 ) cubomedusae and scyphomedusae . in : boltovskoy , d . ( ed . ) , south atlantic zooplankton . blackuys publishers , leiden , pp . 513–559 .
morandini , a . c . & marques , a . c . ( 2010 ) revision of the genus chrysaora péron & lesueur , 1810 ( cnidaria : scyphozoa ) , zootaxa , 97 , 1–97 .
occhipinti - ambrogi , a . , marchini , a . , cantone , g . , castelli , a . , chimenz , c . , cormaci , m . , froglia , c . , furnari , g . , gambi , m . c . , giaccone , g . , giangrande , a . , gravili , c . , mastrototaro , f . , mazziotti , c . , orsi - relini , l . & piraino , s . ( 2011 ) alien species along the italian coasts : an overview . biological invasions , 13 , 215–37 . urltoken
ortman , b . d . , bucklin , a . , pagès , f . & youngbluth , m . ( 2010 ) dna barcoding the medusozoa using mtcoi . deep sea research part ii topical studies in oceanography , 57 , 2148–2156 .
östman , c . ( 2000 ) a guideline to nematocyst nomenclature and classification , and some notes on the systematic value of nematocysts . scientia marina , 64 , 31–46 .
östman , c . & hydman , j . ( 1997 ) nematocyst analysis of cyanea capillata and cyanea lamarckii ( scyphozoa , cnidaria ) . scientia marina , 61 , 313–344 .
prieto , l . , armani , a . & macias , d . ( 2013 ) recent stranding of the giant jellyfish rhizostoma luteum quoy and gaimard , 1827 ( cnidaria : schyphozoa : rhizostomeae ) on the atlantic and mediterranean coasts . marine biology , 160 , 3241–3247 .
russell , f . s . ( 1970 ) the medusae of the british isles ii . pelagic scyphozoa with a supplement to the first volume on hydromedusae . cambridge university press , cambridge , 284 pp . available from : urltoken publications / medusae _ 2 / medusae _ 2 _ complete . pdf ( accessed 25 april 2014 ) .
tamura , k . , peterson , d . , peterson , n . , stecher , g . , nei , m . & kumar , s . ( 2011 ) mega5 : molecular evolutionary genetics analysis using maximum likelihood , evolutionary distance , and maximum parsimony methods . molecular biology and evolution , 28 , 2731–2739 . urltoken
thompson , j . d . , gibson , t . j . , plewniak , f . , jeanmougin , f . & higgins , d . g . ( 1997 ) the clustal _ x windows interface : flexible strategies for multiple sequence alignment aided by quality analysis tools . nucleic acids research , 25 , 4876–4882 . urltoken
weill , r . ( 1934 ) contribution a l’étude des cnidaries et de leurs nématocystes . ii : valeur taxonomique du cnidome . travaux de la station zoologique de wimereux , 10 / 11 , 348–701 .
collins , a . g . ; jarms , g . ; morandini , a . c . ( 2018 ) . world list of scyphozoa .
piraino , aglieri , scorrano & boero , 2014 . accessed through : world register of marine species at : urltoken ; = 851656 on 2018 - 07 - 09
marchini , a . ; ferrario , j . ; sfriso , a . ; occhipinti - ambrogi , a . ( 2015 ) . current status and trends of biological invasions in the lagoon of venice , a hotspot of marine nis introductions in the mediterranean sea . biological invasions . , available online at urltoken [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
this site uses cookies to improve performance . if your browser does not accept cookies , you cannot view this site .
there are many reasons why a cookie could not be set correctly . below are the most common reasons :
you have cookies disabled in your browser . you need to reset your browser to accept cookies or to ask you if you want to accept cookies .
your browser asks you whether you want to accept cookies and you declined . to accept cookies from this site , use the back button and accept the cookie .
your browser does not support cookies . try a different browser if you suspect this .
the date on your computer is in the past . if your computer ' s clock shows a date before 1 jan 1970 , the browser will automatically forget the cookie . to fix this , set the correct time and date on your computer .
you have installed an application that monitors or blocks cookies from being set . you must disable the application while logging in or check with your system administrator .
this site uses cookies to improve performance by remembering that you are logged in when you go from page to page . to provide access without cookies would require the site to create a new session for every page you visit , which slows the system down to an unacceptable level .
this site stores nothing other than an automatically generated session id in the cookie ; no other information is captured .
in general , only the information that you provide , or the choices you make while visiting a web site , can be stored in a cookie . for example , the site cannot determine your email name unless you choose to type it . allowing a website to create a cookie does not give that or any other site access to the rest of your computer , and only the site that created the cookie can read it .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
hundreds of golden jellyfish that clogged fishing nets off the coast of venice , italy , are in fact a new species , experts say .
last fall , fishers in the adriatic sea ( map ) near venice , italy , pulled up nets full of hundreds of two - inch - wide ( five centimeter ) , golden jellyfish . having never seen the jellyfish before , the fishers sent pictures to researchers , who identified the beautiful interlopers as a new species .
about two or three new jellyfish species pop up every year , says claudia mills , a marine biologist at the university of washington in friday harbor . however , finding such a conspicuous newcomer in a relatively shallow body of water close to shore is extremely rare , says stefano piraino , a jellyfish researcher at the università del salento in lecce , italy .
the find comes as a surprise to scientists because the adriatic sea is one of the best studied bodies of water in the world . the fact that this jellyfish avoided detection until last year suggests that it is a fairly recent arrival , the study authors assert . this means that it ' s probably an invasive species , piraino said in an email interview .
the gulf of venice in the adriatic sea is a hot spot for alien species introduction , he explains . intense transcontinental shipping activity , as well as the aquaculture trade , provides plenty of opportunities for invasive species to set up shop .
we believe this species entered the mediterranean sea by ballast water transfer [ by ships ] ,
piraino says .
< p > an evidence describes the source of an annotation , e . g . an experiment that has been published in the scientific literature , an orthologous protein , a record from another database , etc . < / p > < p > < a href =
/ manual / evidences
> more . . . < / a > < / p >
help pages , faqs , uniprotkb manual , documents , news archive and biocuration projects .
you are using a version of browser that may not display all the features of this website . please consider upgrading your browser .
< p > when browsing through different uniprot proteins , you can use the ‘basket’ to save them , so that you can back to find or analyse them later . < p > < a href = ' / help / basket ' target = ' _ top ' > more . . . < / a > < / p >
< p > this will take you to the blast page where you can edit options < / p > < p > < a href =
/ help / sequence - searches
> more . . < / a > < / p >
we ' d like to inform you that we have updated our privacy notice to comply with europe’s new general data protection regulation ( gdpr ) that applies since 25 may 2018 .
the precise description of species is essential for numerous fields such as ecology , identification of invasive species and their effects on both ecosystems and humans . achievement is important due to the complicated systematics of scyphozoans combined with their complex life and unpredictable appearances , ecological plasticity and unfortunately lack of taxonomists .
you ' re currently viewing our forum as a guest . this means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can ' t use . if you join our community , you ' ll be able to access member - only sections , and use many member - only features such as customizing your profile and voting in polls . registration is simple , fast , and completely free .
is an animal , thus non - photosynthetic , multicellular eukaryote , in the phylum cnidaria . being a cnidarian it is diploblastic , having an ectoderm and endoderm separated by an ectodermally derived mesoglea that can be cellular or acellular .
in addition , members of the pelagiidae have no ring canal , and the marginal tentacles arise from umbrella margin .
last fall , fishers in the adriatic sea near venice , italy , pulled up nets full of hundreds of two - inch - wide ( five centimeter ) , golden jellyfish . having never seen the jellyfish before , the fishers sent pictures to researchers , who identified the beautiful interlopers as a new species .
about two or three new jellyfish species pop up every year , says claudia mills , a marine biologist at the university of washington in friday harbor . however , finding such a conspicuous newcomer in a relatively shallow body of water close to shore is extremely rare , says stefano piraino , a jellyfish researcher at the università del salento in lecce , italy .
m . avian , a . ramšak , v . tirelli , i . d ' ambra and a . malej
antonio archidona - yuste , juan a . navas - cortés , carolina cantalapiedra - navarrete , juan e . palomares - rius and pablo castillo
xiphinema species are an important group of plant - parasitic nematodes with a high number of species and distributed almost worldwide . the aim of this work is to describe two new species of xiphinema ( x . macrodora , sp . nov . and x . oleae , sp . nov . ) using an integrative approach ( morphologically , morphometrically and molecularly ) . this study expands the biodiversity and morphological traits of this genus . image : line drawing of the female lip region of xiphinema macrodora , sp . nov .
two spider species new to science have been discovered in the western italian alps , one of the most important biodiversity hot spot in europe . the new species belong to a group of cave dwelling spiders ( pimoa ) represented so far in europe by two species only . according to the molecular analysis , these spider species originated as a result of dramatic climatic change occurring in europe between 13 and 1 million years ago . photograph : pimoa graphitica , sp . nov . , by francesco tomasinelli .
high - mountain regions are known to harbour considerable biodiversity , although it is not all well known , especially in world’s largest mountain range , the himalayas . intensive field surveys of limnic molluscs resulted in the discovery of a species that can be clearly distinguished from all other sphaeriid bivalve species with oriental biogeographical affinity occurring in nepal . our findings highlight the importance of studies of the freshwater biodiversity at high - altitude ecosystems . images : line drawings of left – pisidium alexeii , sp . nov . and right – p . prasongi .
morphology and distribution of body scales are fundamental in the classification and evolution of entomobryidae . molecular phylogeny clustered the new genus lepidodens , having pointed scales on dens , with entomobryinae rather than seirinae . this study clearly undermines the traditional separation of entomobryinae and seirinae / lepidocyrtinae , and demonstrate that dental scales could occur in all entomobryid subfamilies containing scaled taxa . photographs : scales in lepidodens similis , gen . and sp . nov .
the description here of two new shark tapeworms belonging to the genus calliobothrium suggests that diversity in this genus has been underreported and that species exhibit tighter host - specificity than once thought . molecular phylogenetic analyses of species of calliobothrium and the closely related genus symcallio provide insight into the evolution of diagnostic morphological features . comparison of this phylogeny with that of their hosts , sharks of the genus mustelus , reveals interesting host association patterns . image : line drawing of calliobothrium cisloi , sp . nov . scolex .
michele cesari , sandra j . mcinnes , roberto bertolani , lorena rebecchi and roberto guidetti
antarctica is an ice - dominated continent and all its terrestrial and freshwater habitats are fragmented , which leads eventually to speciation . acutuncus antarcticus is the most common antarctic tardigrade , and morphological and molecular analyses elucidated its genetic diversity and distribution . all analysed specimens were morphologically indistinguishable and presented the same 18s rrna sequence , while cytochrome c oxidase subunit i analysis showed higher variability . acutuncus antarcticus can still be considered a pan - antarctic species , although there is the potential for future speciation events . photograph : acutuncus antarcticus , from crater cirque , victoria land , antarctica .
chien - lin chen , joseph w . goy , heather d . bracken - grissom , darryl l . felder , ling ming tsang and tin - yam chan
found in the mediterranean and the atlantic ocean , it lives mainly in the open ocean as well as in coastal waters . ( grzimek 1972 )
the habitat is primarily pelagic , or in the open ocean . however , this species can survive almost anywhere ocean currents carry it , including benthic and temperate coastal habitats . ( calder 2000 ; grzimek 1972 )
like other cnidarians , this species is radially symmetrical . they have distinct tissues , but no organs , and only one body opening . the tissues are the outer epidermis , the inner gastrodermis , and a middle layer of gelatinous mesoglea , which has a cartilege - like consistency . the medusa stage is most prominant , and no bottom - dwelling stage exists . the umbrella edge is divided into eight lobes , where sense organs such as light receptors and odor pits are located . the umbrella can be bell - shaped or hemispherical , and color can range from purple to brownish - red .
has a frilled edge on the bell , with eight thin , stinging tentacles and four lobes hanging down from the mouth , called oral arms . the tentacles are very elastic . the name means
night light
in german for a reason . very colorful , this jellyfish phosphoresces when disturbed and can leave a luminous mucous behind if handled . it is called the
mauve jelly
by the british . also known as the oceanic jelly , this species is adapted to life in the open water . it is in the class scyphozoa , the true jellyfish . the estimated lifespan of
is two to six months , and death is usually caused by rough waters . ( grzimek 1972 ; stachowitsch 1991 ; calder 2000 ; marr 1999 )
the adults , which have separate sexes , reproduce sexually by releasing gametes from gonads located near the center of the body . the ova and sperm are released through the mouth of the jellyfish , and fertilize externally . each fertilized egg forms a planulae , an undifferentiated mass of cells that swims with external cilia . planula may be widely dispersed by oceanic currents . unlike other species which have a bottom - dwelling polyp stage ,
' s planulae develop directly into ephyrae , young medusae . the ephyrae quickly grows into an adult medusa , completing the life cycle . ( banister and campbell 1985 ; stachowitsch 1991 ; calder 2000 )
has appeared in shoals 45 kilometers in length , with thousands of jellyfish involved . they move by rhythmically contracting a muscular ring on the bottom of the bell , which propels them . the ring is formed by many specialized epithelial cells that can each contract individualy as well . the mesoglea can aid in buoyancy by expelling certain ions , which are replaced by lighter ones . however , the jellyfish usually end up wherever the currents take them .
defends itself with the same nematocysts used to capture prey . the nematocysts are
fired
by using water pressure . first , a high concentration of ions is built up inside the cells . when the nematocyst is stimulated to discharge , the walls become permeable to water . the water rushing in shoves the barb out and into the other organism , injecting a toxin along the way . this is one of the fastest cellular processes known in nature . ( banister and campbell 1985 ; grzimek 1972 ; raven and johnson 1999 )
carnivorous like other cnidarians , this species preys mainly on zooplankton , small fish , crustaceans , other jellyfish , and eggs .
captures its prey with tentacles armed with cnidocytes , each of which contains a nematocyst . nematocysts have barbed filaments to trap their prey and toxins to stun them . they can even pierce the shell of a crab with their barbs . food is digested intracellularly as well as extracellularly , in a gut cavity , enabling them to eat multicellular animals . ( raven and johnson 1999 ; banister and campbell 1985 )
are beautiful , especially when they phosphoresce . the chemical reactions causing their luminescence are currently of great interest to researchers . other jellyfish are used for medical and therapeutic purposes , and
might soon be helpful for humans . one possible use of their fluorescent protein is as a genetic marker to detect protein movement or gene expression in research in developmental , environmental and medical biology . ( manning 1997 )
- is among the jellyfish that scare tourists away from beaches , especially in the mediterranean . italian beaches were overrun by large groups of them in the summer of 1999 . the sting of -
- is venomous to humans , but normally only causes a whip - like scar across the body . in rare cases of allergic reactions , life - threatening conditions like anaphylactic shock can occur . fishermen are also affected by jellyfish , including -
- . there have been reports from france of jellyfish tearing holes in fishing nets . ( marr 1999 ; calder 2000 )
- is not in danger of extinction at the present time . they are multiplying in number in the mediterranean , but are expected to return to normal levels in the next few years . ( marr 1999 )
erin leverenz ( author ) , southwestern university , stephanie fabritius ( editor ) , southwestern university .
the body of water between africa , europe , the southern ocean ( above 60 degrees south latitude ) , and the western hemisphere . it is the second largest ocean in the world after the pacific ocean .
referring to an animal that lives on or near the bottom of a body of water . also an aquatic biome consisting of the ocean bottom below the pelagic and coastal zones . bottom habitats in the very deepest oceans ( below 9000 m ) are sometimes referred to as the abyssal zone . see also oceanic vent .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
a form of body symmetry in which the parts of an animal are arranged concentrically around a central oral / aboral axis and more than one imaginary plane through this axis results in halves that are mirror - images of each other . examples are cnidarians ( phylum cnidaria , jellyfish , anemones , and corals ) .
banister , d . , d . campbell eds . . 1985 . sea anemones and jellyfishes . pp . 176 - 177 in
calder , . .
keys to marine invertebrates of the woods hole region
( on - line ) . accessed february 6 , 2000 at urltoken .
marr , m . august 23 , 1999 .
electronic library ( members only ) ' italy smarts from invasion of the jellyfish '
( on - line ) . accessed february 2 , 2000 at urltoken .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
for full functionality of researchgate it is necessary to enable javascript . here are the instructions how to enable javascript in your web browser .
rhopilema nomadica—a recently discovered scyphomedusa in the eastern mediterranean—is considered a lessepsian migrant . its nematocysts were extracted from the scapular and mouth - arm tentacles and examined using light and electron microscopy techniques . the morphometric parameters of the nematocysts were measured before and after complete discharge . three categories of nematocysts were identified : heterotrichous isorhiza haploneme , holotrichous isorhiza haploneme , and heterotrichous microbasic eurytele . the relative abundance of the nematocysts and their occurrence in tissues of the jellyfish were noted . a brief discussion concerning the classification of certain types of nematocysts is given . a comparison with the available data on other rhopilema species revealed that the nematocyst categories of r . nomadica are more similar to those of the atlantic r . verrilli than to those of the western pacific r . esculentum . a brief comparison of the injuries caused by these species is given . © 1995 wiley - liss , inc .
. . . when stimulated , the coiled tubule everts , penetrating the epidermis of human skin , and venom is injected from the capsule through the tubule into the tissue of the victim [ 8 ] . three categories of nematocysts have been identified in r . nomadica : heterotrichous isorhiza haploneme , holotrichous isorhiza haploneme , and heterotrichous microbasic eurytele [ 9 ] . the venom mostly contains enzymatic polypeptides , including a heat - stable phos - pholipase a 2 that hydrolyzes the phospholipids of epi - thelial cells , leading to lysis . . . .
. . . this may explain the local dermonecrotic and systemic cardior - espiratory events that can occur after envenomation . the severity of injury is related to the area affected and depends on individual sensitivity [ 9 ] , as well as the chemical composition of the venom , number of nema - tocysts discharged , and the general condition of the victim . . . .
. . . es - esculenta он может значительно превышать 450 мм . данные о нематоцистах , полученные преимуще ственно при помощи световой микроскопии , до ступны для r . esculenta , r . nomadica и r . verilli ( calder , 1972calder , , 1977chen , ding , 1981 ; avian et al . , 1995 ) . показано , что половозрелые особи этих видов содержат неодинаковое число типов нема тоцист . . . .
. . . у r . verilli описаны три типа нематоцист – атрихи изоризы ( атрихи a - изоризы ) , голотри хи гаплонемы ( иначе – гетеротрихи анизоризы , calder , 1977 ) и микробазические гетеротрихи эв рители . такие же типы нематоцист обнаружены и у r . nomadica ( avian et al . , 1995 ) . неполовозavian et al . , 1995 ) . . . .
. . . jellyfish tentacles contain these specialized nematocyst structures , which allow envenomation due to highly coiled tubules armed with spines and is species dependent [ there are several morphological types of nematocysts with a variation of discharge velocities , capsular size , tubule length , and trajectory . variable reported stinging potencies of individual nematocyst types have been reported that suggest the severity of the sting differing between species in different geographic locations , dependent on nematocyst composition [ 19 , 24 , 27 , 28 ] . there are several morphological types of nematocysts with a variation of discharge velocities , capsular size , tubule length , and trajectory . . . .
. . . there are several morphological types of nematocysts with a variation of discharge velocities , capsular size , tubule length , and trajectory . variable reported stinging potencies of individual nematocyst types have been reported that suggest the severity of the sting differing between species in different geographic locations , dependent on nematocyst composition [ 19 , 24 , 27 , 28 ] . . . .
. . . fishing tentacles and oral arms were used for the preparation of intact cnidocysts following the methods described in endean ( 1987 ) , burnett et al . ( 1992 ) , avian et al . ( 1995 ) and bloom et al . ( 1998 ) . the methodology was modified to accommodate large scale preparation for biochemical and analytical purposes and to suit available laboratory facilities on board the research vessel . . . .
. . . it was concluded that the two types of nematocysts found in the macerated samples were consistent with the measurement data given by calder ( 1977 ) . the method of maceration with dw is described in numerous other studies ( avian et al . 1995 ; rottini et al . 1995 ; helmholz et al . 2007 ) . all these studies implement the maceration by a mechanical treatment of the used tissue , e . g . . . .
. . . when the jellyfish swarms draw nearer shore they adversely affect tourism , fisheries and coastal installations . local municipalities in israel reported a decrease in holiday makers frequenting the beaches because of the public ' s concern over the painful stings inflicted by the jellyfish ( avian et al . 1995 , kokelj et al . 1995 ) . coastal trawling and purse - seine fishing are disrupted for the duration of the swarming due to net clogging and inability to sort yield , due to the overwhelming presence of the venomous jellyfish in the nets . . . .
the lessepsian migration is the largest marine invasion in the world . hundreds of species have already passed the suez canal and settled in the eastern mediterranean sea . in the last few decades , s…
[ more ]
a tropical jellyfish , rhopilema nomadica ( scyphozoa , rhizostomeae ) has recently invaded the eastern mediterranean . its painful stings have been the bane of bathers and fishermen from egypt to turkey . this paper reports on the presence of haemolytic activity and alpha - chymotrypsin - like serine protease activity in the venom of the r . nomadica nematocysts . in addition , the presence of . . . [ show full abstract ]
avian , m . , galil , b . , spanier , e . , rottini sandrini , l . 1994 . rhopilema nomadica ( cnidaria ; scyphozo . . .