User:Sophiecampbell2021/sandbox

Cephea cephea is one of the species in the family Cepheidae and genus Cephea. Cephea cephea, the crowned jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish from the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific to Northern Australia. The genus Cephea has similar morphological features to Netrostoma, with slight differences that make them different. This species was first discovered by Forskål in 1775 and originally given the name Medusa cephea.

Ecology
Found in warm, tropical bodies of water, with a living temperature range of 15-30°C. Cephea Cephea can be found widely distributed in the Indo West Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea to the Touamotu Archipelago. They live usually closer to the coast but can also be found in open waters from water currents because they a tropical or sub-tropical inhabitants. They have a vertical movement caused by either a daily rhythm or environmental change. They stay in deep water during the day and move towards surface water at night.

General Morphology
A general morphology includes a hard gelatinous body, complicated oral arms, small secondary mouths on the oral arms, feeding on small zooplankton using suctional mouths and high swimming ability.

Specific Morphology
When alive, it has a lilac or purple coloring and is about 250 mm wide in total. The bell itself is about 100-120 mm wide and 30-40 mm high, separated by a deep annular furrow. A defining feature is large, pointed warts along the central dome with seven smaller, similar structures along as well. Small brown colored spots surround the base and the majority of the bell is a yellowish-brown color. They have seventy marginal lappets but only seven to nine are seen in each octet. This species is distinguished by long, conical filaments, deep clefts in the bell, velar lappets brought together by a thin web and the brown bell coloring.

Reproduction
This species reproduces asexually, with a mono-mode reproduction strategy that only develops free-swimming buds. They have no other methods of reproduction and are sensitive to cold temperatures. This is why they are found very commonly in the mid-spring to summer months, but are absent from winter to early-spring months.

Budding
Buds are formed as diverticula underneath the calyx, where some buds change to a scyphistoma- form, detach, and attach to the bottom with very little to no swimming at all. There is normally only one bud; when two form, they will be on top of each other, with the older one on the bottom.

Strobilation
Strobilation causes the calyx to change colors to a pale yellow or brown. Cephea cephea polyps host zooxanthellae in their tissues, which helps with strobilation. The perradial and interradial tentacles absorb but the aradial tentacles remain. Eight ephyral lappets are then formed, but are not fully functional which begins active contraction of the ephyra.

Ephyra and Young Medusa
The formed ephyra develop into young medusa in nine different stages. Starting with (1) ephyra structure, (2) color change, (3) contour change of marginal lappets, (4) number increases and distribution pattern of gastral filaments, (5) gasto-vascular development, (6) development of oral system, (7) development of appendages, (8) formation of warts, (9) growth rate of young medusa.

Blooms
Zooplankton blooms in semi-enclosed marine waters and bordered by mangroves, most commonly in the Red Sea, have caused many types of jellyfish to shift there. With hgiher temperatures and more food supply, asexual reproduction increases. Cephea Cephea are of the most common jellyfish to bloom along with the zooplankton in order to feed, causing a bloom of themselves. These blooms are known to occur and allow a huge food source for reef fishes at various reefs throughout the Red Sea. An increase in blooms due to eutrophication will allow this species to to be transported through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.

Predators and Prey
Predators: This species is normally eaten by reef fish, seabirds and sea turtles. They protect themselves by using their filaments with nematocysts to sting and inject a very poisonous venom into predators; however, this venom is not harmful to humans Prey: Cephea Cephea are carnivorous organisms that feed on zooplankton, plankton, algae, brine shrimp and other invertebrate species eggs.

Human Use
Cephea cephea is an edible species, mostly harvested in Southeast Asia from short blooms that last two to four months. These edible jellyfish have a large tidal range and shallow depth where the polyps settle easily. It is among only 11 other species that is used for human consumption.