Wide geographical distribution of Atorella vanhoeffeni (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa, Coronatae) in Japan

Abstract

Medusae of a rare, small scyphomedusa, Atorella vanhoeffeni Bigelow, 1909 (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa, Coronatae), were collected and/or photographed at three sites in Japan: Notojima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the Sea of Japan; Osezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, on the Pacific coast; and Yonaguni Island, Okinawa Prefecture, in the East China Sea. In Japanese waters this species has been previously reported only from Kakeroma Island, Kagoshima Prefecture. The detailed morphology is described based on a medusa from Yonaguni Island.