DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF STROBILATION IN AURELIA AURITA

Abstract

Strolibation in Scyphozoa has been well known as a process to produce ephyrae. This process might include the basic aspect to understand the mechanism of cellular differentiation and transformation for the particular pattern of metamorphosis. We believe that the strobilation therefore seems to provide a unique opportunity for the study of growth and development, which has been pointed out by SPANGENBERG (1965). Although some known enviromental factors such as the lighting condition and the low temperature could initiate the strobilation (cf. recent review, PANGENBERG, 1968), we know little about the possible change which may occur in either the substantial or cellular level during the strobilation and the further metamorphic process. In this report, we are going to describe the morphological and physiological aspects of strobilation in Aurelia aurita.