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Untapped Edible Jellyfish of Sri Lanka: Crambione mastigophora and Rhopilema hispidum (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)

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Abstract

Taxonomic studies, which lead to species identifications, provide a basis for the sustainable utilisation of marine living resources. In Sri Lanka, jellyfish resources are poorly investigated. Therefore, a gelatinous zooplankton survey was carried out from 2016 to 2020, and two edible species of scyphomedusae, viz. Crambione mastigophora and Rhopilema hispidum, which have not yet been commercially exploited in Sri Lanka, were identified and a detailed account of the morphological characteristics including detailed photographs of these two species is presented. Comparative morphological features of C. mastigophora, R. hispidum and their congeners from different geographic locations using data from historical studies are also presented, identifying potential fishing grounds in Sri Lankan waters. In this study, C. mastigophora was re-sampled after a century and R. hispidum was reported for the first time from Sri Lankan waters.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Hiroshi Miyake (School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan), who provided us with some important literature. We also thank Mrs Shanika M. Liyanaarachchi, Mrs Harshani W. Kumari and Mr Dayananda S. Digamadulla (Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka) for their assistance in collecting some specimens.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka (NSF Grant: RG/2016/OMR/01).

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  1. Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP), 60170, Sri Lanka

    Krishan D. Karunarathne & M. D. S. T. de Croos

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  1. Krishan D. Karunarathne
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  2. M. D. S. T. de Croos
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Contributions

The methodology, investigation, and writing - original draft preparation: [Krishan D. Karunarathne]; Conceptualization, funding acquisition, Marine survey designing, methodology, supervision, and writing - review and editing: [M.D.S.T. de Croos].

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Correspondence to M. D. S. T. de Croos.

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Karunarathne, K.D., de Croos, M.D.S.T. Untapped Edible Jellyfish of Sri Lanka: Crambione mastigophora and Rhopilema hispidum (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). Thalassas 39, 657–670 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-023-00518-9

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