Submersible observations on the daytime vertical distribution of Aequorea ?forskalea off the west coast of southern Africa
2005 ◽
Vol 85
(3)
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pp. 519-522
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The vertical distribution of the hydromedusa Aequorea ?forskalea was investigated using observations from the research submersible ‘Jago’ collected during 36 dives off the west coast of southern Africa during November 1997 and April 1999. The mean population depth of Aequorea ?forskalea deepened with increasing sea surface temperature. We suggest that this behaviour enables individuals to avoid offshore advection, to minimize spatial overlap with other large medusae and to maintain their position over the middle of the shelf.