Seasonal and vertical distribution of medusae in Aysen region, southern Chile

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Medusae collected in winter and spring 2007 were analyzed in a longitudinal transect made between the Boca de Guafo and Elefantes Fjord, southern Chile. A total of 30 species were identified, Hydromedusae (29) and Scyphozoa (1), where Bougainvillia macloviana, Hybocodon chilensis, Hydractinia tenuis, Laodicea pulcra, L. undulada, Modeeria rotunda and Chrysaora plocamia represent new records for the area. A significant increase in the jellyfish abundance was higher in spring than in winter (fourteen times higher), with 68% of common species in both seasons. The specific diversity was slightly higher in winter (3.4 bits) than spring (3.2 bits), the species richness instead was higher in spring than in winter, with a mean of 5 and 12 species, respectively. The vertical distribution showed the presence of surface (H. borealis), deep (A. apicata, C. peregrina and R. velatum) and wide bathymetric distribution (B. muscoides and B. muscus) species. Results from the area were compared with previous results (2002)(2003) thus proving that most species identified are common in southern Chilean fjords and channels.

Horizontal and vertical distributions of siphonophores in relation to oceanographic conditions in Chilean Patagonian fjords

“…Thus, numerous oceanographic and biological studies have been carried out in this zone (Silva and Palma 2008), including studies on siphonophores and jellyfish with results showing that the two-layer hydrographic structure may affect not only the species composition but also the vertical distribution of the zooplankton in interior waters (Palma et al 2007a, 2007b, Villenas et al 2009, Bravo et al 2011.…”

Biodiversity and spatial distribution of medusae in the Magellan Region (Southern Patagonian Zone)

“…Biogeographically, the southern zone of Chile comprising the area between Puerto Montt (41°S) and Cape Horn (55°S), is subdivided by Viviani (1979) into three regions, where there have been several studies on jellyfish: a) the Northern Patagonian Zone, from Puerto Montt (41°S) to the Taitao Peninsula (46°-47°S) (Galea, 2007;Galea et al, 2007;Palma et al, 2007aPalma et al, , 2007bVillenas et al, 2009;Bravo et al, 2011), b) the Central Patagonian Zone to the Magellan Strait (52°30'S) (Häussermann et al, 2009), and d) the Southern Patagonian Zone to Cape Horn (56°S) (Pagès & Orejas, 1999). The Southern Patagonian Zone (52°30'-56°S) or Magellan region is characterized by its geographical and oceanographic complexity.…”

“…This two-layer structure is a common pattern of all Patagonian channels and fjords, affecting the biodiversity and vertical distribution of zooplankton populations (Palma et al, 2007aVillenas et al, 2009;Bravo et al, 2011).…”

Massive salp outbreaks in the inner sea of Chiloe Island (Southern Chile): possible causes and ecological consequences

“…Deleterious effect of gelatinous zooplankton on aquaculture has becoming increased attention in the last decades; which on one hand has being linked to climate-driven variability (Condon et al, 2012) and to the proliferation of settlements and increased human activities in coastal areas (Purcell, 2012). The inner sea of Chiloé is not an exception, where proliferations of the scyphomedusa Chrysaora plocamia and Phacellophora catschatica have affected salmon farming installations (Palma et al, 2007;Bravo et al, 2011). Unfortunately, and as same as most cases, reports as same as impacts are mainly based on anecdotic information given by local farmers (see Mianzan et al, 2014), and more reliable information based on scientific orientated approaches are extremely scarce.…”