Swimming ability of the Carybdea marsupialis (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Carybdeidae): implications for its spatial distribution

Abstract

Although usually considered part of the plankton, cubozoans are strong swimmers. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the active swimming ability of the box jellyfish Carybdea marsupialis on the spatial distribution of a well-studied population in the NW Mediterranean where adults and juveniles do not overlap geographically. To accomplish this, we analyzed the swimming speed, effective velocity, effective displacement index (EDI), and proficiency of 27 individuals with diagonal bell widths (DBWs) ranging from 1.1 to 36 mm. The laboratory analysis utilized conventional video recordings and the video analysis tool Tracker. Mean swimming speed for small juveniles, medium juveniles and adults was 9.7 ± 0.8, 21.9 ± 2.3 and 43.1 ± 1.8 mm s⁻¹ (mean ± se), respectively. Effective velocity was also proportional to size, ranging from 5.0 ± 0.7 to 38.8 ± 3.1 mm s⁻¹ (mean ± se). The calculated EDI for each group was 0.51 ± 0.05, 0.84 ± 0.06 and 0.90 ± 0.05 (mean ± se), respectively. Proficiency showed an inverse trend, from 6.4 ± 0.6 s⁻¹ for the small juveniles to 1.36 ± 0.05 for adults (mean ± se). Comparing the swimming speed results with the local currents obtained from drifting buoys analyzed in the area, adults would be able to swim strongly enough to overcome almost 70% of the currents, whereas the small juveniles would not reach 17%. This would allow larger individuals to select their habitat, while smaller individuals are left dependent on advection. Although experiments adding currents in aquaria would be necessary to confirm these theoretical results, the data obtained would be useful in improving the performance of bio-mathematical models used to predict jellyfish blooms since, even though the sting of C. marsupialis is non-fatal, it may produce systemic effects in sensitive swimmers.