What is the life cycle function of the medusa?

The medusa is the reproductive stage; their eggs are fertilised internally and develop into free-swimming planula larvae. After a brief period floating about in surface waters, the larvae settle to the sea floor, attaching themselves at one end. There they develop into polyps and begin to feed and grow.

What is the life cycle of Aurelia?

Lifecycle/Reproduction. The lifecycle of Aurelia aurita is composed of two major stages: polyp and medusa. The jellyfish embryo develops into ciliated planula larva which implant s into the ocean floor and grows into a scyphistoma. The scyphistoma becomes a strobila which is the mature polyp form.

How is a medusa created cnidarians?

Planula, plural planulae, free-swimming or crawling larval type common in many species of the phylum Cnidaria (e.g., jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones). Planulae are produced by the polyp form in sea anemones and other anthozoans and by the medusa form in most other cnidarians. See also polyp (zoology); medusa.

What body type is Aurelia?

Shape and size: Aurelia can be easily recognized by its soft umbrella shaped body with four red or purple horseshoe shaped gonads on its upper surface and four long and narrow oral lobes hanging downwards from the lower surface. It has a convex aboral or exumbrellar surface and a concave oral or subumbrellar surface.

What kind of animal is larva jellyfish Aurelia )?

Planula is a free swimming or crawling larva of Cnidarians. The body of planula is cylindrical or egg shaped which has many cilia which is used for locomotion.

Can a polyp become a medusa?

If the polyp shape is turned upside down, it becomes the medusa shape of the jellyfish. …

Did medusa live in the sea?

It is generally believed that she was born at sea. The Greek poet Hesiod wrote that Medusa lived close to the Hesperides in the Western Ocean near Sarpedon.

What is the typical life cycle of Aurelia?

The typical life cycle of Aurelia comprises the following transitions: benthic polyps asexually produce free-swimming ephyrae, which develop into the medusae, and medusae produce sperms and eggs that fertilize to form planula larvae which develop into polyps [ 28 ].

What is the life cycle of a medusa jellyfish?

Depending on the species, a single polyp may produce one or many ephyrae all at once, over a period of time, or at different intervals. The ephyra subsequently develops into a mature medusa over a period of weeks to months. Generalized life cycle of a scyphozoan jellyfish, Aurelia.

When does an Ephyra develop into a medusa?

The ephyra subsequently develops into a mature medusa over a period of weeks to months. Generalized life cycle of a scyphozoan jellyfish, Aurelia. Click on different life-stages to see pictures of Aurelia!

How big is the Medusa of Aurelia aurita?

(i) Shape, Size and Colour: The medusa of Aurelia Aurita is flattened, bowl or saucer-shaped gelatinous structure called the bell or umbrella. It exhibits tetramerous radial symmetry. It usually measures about 7.5-10 cm in diameter, though much larger forms (up to 30 cm in diameter) have also been recorded from Atlantic coast.

What is the life cycle function of the medusa? The medusa is the reproductive stage; their eggs are fertilised internally and develop into free-swimming planula larvae. After a brief period floating about in surface waters, the larvae settle to the sea floor, attaching themselves at one end. There they develop into polyps and begin to…