Resumen de First record of Mastigias sidereus Chun, 1896 and Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) from Sri Lanka
Krishan D. Karunarathne, M. D. S. T. de Croos
Understanding the species diversity of scyphomedusae is a primacy in zoological and ecological studies. Mastigiid medusae, commonly known as “spotted jellyfsh”, are widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacifc, although data from the Indian Ocean are limited due to lack of studies. In the “Waya-jel-Survey” conducted at several coastal localities of Sri Lanka, a Mastigias species was netted of the Laccadive Sea coast and Bay of Bengal coast from 2017 to 2020, while a Phyllorhiza species was sampled of the Laccadive Sea coast in 2017 and 2018. Collected specimens were morphologically identifed as Mastigias sidereus and Phyllorhiza punctata, both had never been recorded from Sri Lankan waters. As both the species are mild stingers, no sting cases have ensued so far from Sri Lanka; however, P. punctata was observed to be clogged into nets, resulting in a reduction of commercial fsh catches in lagoon fsheries
