3rd International Conference on Ecological, Environmental and Biological Sciences (ICEEBS'2013) April 29-30, 2013 Singapore

Diversity and feeding of Jellyfish (Cnidaria) at Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga Province, Southern Thailand

Ananya Waharak, Tueanta Ramarn*, and Thanya Panritdam

aimed to investigate the diversity and feeding ecology of Abstract—Diversity and feeding ecology of jelly fish at Koh Mak jellyfish in Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga procince, southern Thailand were province, Thailand. studied. Jellyfish samples were collected monthly from October – December 2012. Three species of jellyfish were recorded, namely II. MATERIAL AND METHODS Chiropsoides buitendijki, Morbakka fenneri and Chrysaora sp.. It was found that the abundance and species composition were varied A. Samples collection among sampling stations. Jellyfish abundance was higher at Koh Mak Noi (mean total density was 61.67±65.39individuals) than Koh Yao The sample locations for jellyfish were located Noi (7.33±9.45 individuals), but it was not significant difference around the Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga (p>0.05). C. buitendijki was the dominant species at Koh Mak Noi province, southern Thailand (Fig. 1). Jellyfish were sampled (76-95% composition) while Chrysora sp. was predominant at Koh on the daytime monthly from October – December 2012 Yao Noi (39-75%). The gastrovascular cavities of most (98.55%) specimens were empty while the remainder had small crustaceans e.g. during low tide using a floating seine. The net was 1.50 m shrimps, these suggesting that jellyfish was the important carnivorous depth and 40 m wide, with 4 cm mesh size. All samples were feeder in the food web and might be nocturnal. separated on the boat, taken to the laboratory in the plastics bag filled with seawater and the fixed in 4 % seawater- Keywords— Abundance, Diet, Diversity and Jellyfish formalin solution [15]. In addition, water parameters were recorded shortly before I. INTRODUCTION samples collection. ELLYFISH (Cnidaria), large gelatinous zooplankton such as B. Laboratory Analysis scyphomedusae and hydromedusae is cosmopolitan J In the laboratory, jellyfish were identified and counted using distribution. They represent a conspicuous component of the stereomicroscope. The jellyfish were identified to species level plankton, especially during the productive summer month [7], by using several articles; [1], [2], [5], [11], [12], [13], [14], [21]. Jellyfish are importance component to coastal ecosystem [16,]. All identifications were based on the outer as carnivores; they usually feed on zooplankton such as morphological characteristics. In addition, diagonal bell width copepod, shrimps, Branchyura larvae, isopod, fish egg and and height were measured. Specimens were dissected and nematode [15], effecting on lower trophic levels. In addition, gastrovascular cavities were observed under stereomicroscope some of them are highly dangerous to humans [10], [17]. In or compound microscope. Ingested items were also separated recently, the ecological role of jellyfish has been interest and identified. motivated by the partiality of jellyfish to form extensive blooms [8] and their negatively effects on economies [9], [24]. C. Data Analysis Despite their important role in coastal ecosystem and their Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to compare impact on tourism, study of this gelatinous plankton are still difference in jellyfish abundance between stations. All data set lacking in Thailand. Therefore, So in order to further increase were first tested for normality and homogeneity as a required knowledge of the functions of jellyfish in ecosystem, this study for parametric analysis [19]. All statistic analysis was performed using the SPSS version 11.5 software package.

Ananya Waharak is a student at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Phathalung Campus, 90120 Thailand (e-mail: [email protected]). III. RESULTS Tueanta Ramarn is a Lecture at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University, Phathalung Campus, 90120 Thailandi. A. Water parameters (Corresponding author to provide phone: 66-7460-9600; Fax: 66-7469-3992; e-mail: [email protected]). Water parameters were recorded as in the normal ranges. Thanya Panritdam is a Lecture at the Department of Biological and Salinity was constantly through the study period, 35 ppt, for Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Thaksin university Phatalung both sampling stations. Temperature varied from 27.2-27.9 Campus, 90120 Thailandi. (e-mail: [email protected]).

255 3rd International Conference on Ecological, Environmental and Biological Sciences (ICEEBS'2013) April 29-30, 2013 Singapore and 27.4-28.6 ºC at Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, respectively. pH values were also stable for both sampling stations, ranged of 6.8-7.5 at Koh Mak Noi and 7.0-7.8 at Koh Yao Noi. B. Diversity and Abundance A total of three jellyfish species from different genera were found. Two of them were belonging in class cuboaoa, cubomedusae. There were Chiropsoides buitendijki (Family Chiropsalmidae,Fig. 2a) and Morbakka fenneri (Family Tamoyidae, Fig. 2b). Another species was Chrysaora sp. belongs in family Pelagiidae, class scyphozoan, scyphomedusae (Fig. 2c). During the sampling period, C. buitendijki was the most abundance species, comprised of 75% of the caught jellyfish, followed by M. fenneri (20%) and a Chrysaora sp. (5%) (Fig. 3). No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed in jellyfish number between Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi. However, higher number of jellyfish from Koh Yao Noi was observed (mean total = 61.67±65.39 individuals) than Koh Yao Noi (7.33±9.45 individuals). However, the species composition of mysid shrimps was difference between sampling stations. It was found that C. buitendijki was the dominant species (ca. 77-94% of caught jellyfish) at Koh Mak Noi. In addition, Chrysaora sp. was the only one species never found from Koh Mak Noi collection, whereas this jellysish species was the predominant species at Koh Yao Noi (ca. 39-75%). Jellyfish abundance showed a great temporal variation in Phang-Nga province in both sampling stations (Fig. 4). However, the maximum jellyfish number was recorded in December both at Koh Mak Noi (136 individuals) and Koh b Yao Noi (18 individuals) while the minimum number of jelly was recorded in November and October for Koh Mak Noi (13 individuals) and Koh Yao Noi (absent from collection), respectively.

c

Koh Mak Noi Fig.2 The jellyfish species identified from Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga province, southern Thailand during October – Koh Yao Noi December 2012. Class cubozoa (a) family Chiropsalmidae, Chiropsoides buitendijki (b) family Tamoyidae, Morbakka fenneri and class scyphozoa, family Pelagiidae, Chrysaora sp. Fig. 1 Map showing the sampling stations at Koh Mak Noi and Koh Yao Noi, Phang-Nga province, southern Thailand.

256 3rd International Conference on Ecological, Environmental and Biological Sciences (ICEEBS'2013) April 29-30, 2013 Singapore

when specimens were sampling. Only a few of jellyfish samples were found food items e.g. small crustacean and shrimps in their gastrovascular cavities (Fig. 5).

.

Fig. 3 Overall jellyfish species composition during October – December 2012 at Phang-Nga province, Thailand.

a

Fig. 5 Aboral view of jellyfish, showing some shrimps inside its gastrovascular cavity (arrow).

IV. DISCUSSIONS There were only three species of jellyfish found in this study, this may occur because the sampling period was just only three months. Whereas [20] reported five species of

jellyfish from Penang National Park. Phang-Nga province, southern Thailand, shows a clear spatial distribution pattern, b which led to distinctive jellyfish structure pattern. Jellyfish show a species specific habitats at Phang-Nga province during observation period which Chiropsoides buitendijki at Koh Mak Noi and Chrysaora sp. at Koh Yao Noi. Chrysaora sp. was also dominated the jellyfish population from Penang National Park, Malaysia [20] and Western Bering Sea [18]. The high abundance of gelatinous zooplankton [8], [18], [22] signifies its important role in aquatic particularly marine ecosystem. Therefore, study in feeding ecology of this zooplankton group has been an increasing amount in recently [3], [15], [23]. Jellyfish is considered as carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans, fish larvae, fish egg [3], [15]. The result from the present study agrees showed that crustaceans were Fig. 4 Temporal variation in jellyfish abundance during October – prey organism suggesting that jellyfish are top carnivorous in December 2012 at (a) Koh Mak Noi and (b) Koh Yao Noi, Phang- the food web. The results also demonstrated that most of Nga province, southern Thailand. jellyfish samples had empty gastrovascular cavities. High occurrence of empty gastrovascular cavity was reported by C. Feeding ecology [15] as well. Moreover, [15] suggested that food items maybe Only gastrovascular cavities of Chiropsoides buitendijki and completely digest after fed during nighttime and this Morbakka fenneri were examined for diet composition. The suggesting that jellyfish might be a nocturnal. Active feeding results showed that almost (ca. 98%, n=207) gastricvascular at night is found in numerous zooplanktons such as mysid [4], cavities of the jellyfish specimens was empty. However, [6]. emptied gastrovascular cavities were examined under compound microscope and it showed that unidentified materials were found. This suggesting that completed digestion

257 3rd International Conference on Ecological, Environmental and Biological Sciences (ICEEBS'2013) April 29-30, 2013 Singapore

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