Sun-compass migration by Aurelia aurita (Scyphozoa): population retention and reproduction in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia
Hamner, W.M.; Hamner, P.P.; Strand, S.W. (1994). Sun-compass migration by Aurelia aurita (Scyphozoa): population retention and reproduction in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 119(3): 347-356. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00347531
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, meer
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| Auteurs | | Top |
- Hamner, W.M.
- Hamner, P.P.
- Strand, S.W.
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| Abstract |
The scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita in Saanich Inlet, a north-south oriented fjord in British Columbia, uses a sun compass to migrate in a southeasterly direction during the day. When the sky is overcast and at night, A. aurita orients randomly and is dispersed passively by gentle tidal currents. The net result is daily reaggregation of medusae into enormous swarms along the southeastern shore of the fjord. Observations of spawning A. aurita in these swarms suggest that sun-compass migration and aggregative behavior may have evolved to facilitate reproduction and to maintain the population within this fjord throughout the year. |
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