Field and laboratory observations on predation and prey selectivity of the scyphomedusa Chrysaora cf. caliparea in Southeast Indian waters

Chrysaora cf. caliparea, one of the most abundant medusae species in India, seems to be an important predator in the coastal waters of Bay of Bengal. The ability of Chrysaora cf. caliparea to feed at maximum rate in high prey concentrations implies that this jellyfish can efficiently exploit dense prey patches, at least for a short period. This study presents preliminary information regarding digestion and feeding rate upon copepods in a warm water environment. The ingestion rate of the average-sized medusae Chrysaora cf. caliparea is well balanced in nature, which in turn implies that this jellyfish is tuned for optimal utilization of available prey resources. Comparison with earlier research indicates that prey escape speed is one important factor governing which prey will be captured. A full understanding of predation mechanics awaits further investigation of both predator and prey behavior. However, because of the scarcity of long-term quantitative population data most insights have to be made indirectly. Nevertheless, low abundance of Chrysaora cf. caliparea in the water column during summer (May 2007) and the overall annual abundance seem not to considerably affect the zooplankton population, especially copepods. The present work contributes to the knowledge of prey-predator relationship of the forgotten fauna in Indian waters, which is especially crucial for understanding the process of ecological recovery of coastal water environment.