A jellyfish-eating sea anemone (Cnidaria, Actiniaria) from Palau: Entacmaea medusivora sp. nov.

Abstract

Entacmaea medusivora sp. nov., a member of the family Actiniidae, inhabits Jellyfish Lake in Palau, western Caroline Islands, and eats the rhizostome jellyfish Mastigias papua. The anemone is azooxanthellate, despite its jellyfish prey containing symbiotic algae. Well fed anemones released ciliated planula-like larvae in the laboratory when maintained at more than 30 °C. It could not be determined whether the larvae, which usually settled around the parent within 24 h of release, were produced sexually or asexually. © 1991 Kluwer Academic Publishers.