Mnemiopsis leidyi
| Mnemiopsis | |
|---|---|
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| M. leidyi at the New England Aquarium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Ctenophora |
| Class: | Tentaculata |
| Order: | Lobata |
| Family: | Bolinopsidae |
| Genus: |
Mnemiopsis Agassiz, 1860 |
| Species: | M. leidyi |
| Binomial name | |
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Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, 1865 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Mnemiopsis gardeni Agassiz, 1860 |
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Mnemiopsis gardeni Agassiz, 1860
Mnemiopsis mccradyi Mayer, 1900
Mnemiopsis leidyi, the warty comb jelly or sea walnut, is a species of tentaculate ctenophore (comb jelly), originally native to the western Atlantic coastal waters. Three species have been named in the genus Mnemiopsis, but they are now believed to be different ecological forms of a single species M. leidyi by most zoologists.
Mnemiopsis have a lobed body that is oval-shaped and transparent, with four rows of ciliated combs that run along the body vertically and glow blue-green when disturbed. They have several feeding tentacles. Unlike cnidarians, Mnemiopsis doesn't sting. Their body contains 97% water. They are small organisms, having a maximum body length of roughly 7–12 centimetres (3–5 in) and a diameter of 2.5 centimetres (1 in).
It is euryoecious, tolerating a wide range of salinity (2 to 38 psu), temperature (2–32 °C or 36–90 °F), and water quality.
Mnemiopsis is a carnivore that consumes zooplankton including crustaceans, other comb jellies, and eggs and larvae of fish; it is sometimes known to eat smaller individuals of its own kind. It also has several other predators. Many are vertebrates, including species of birds and fish. Some predators include other members of gelatinous zooplankton such as Beroe ctenophores and various Scyphozoa (jellyfish).
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