The importance of molecular characters when morphological variability hinders diagnosability: systematics of the moon jellyfish genus Aurelia (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa).

ABSTRACT: Cryptic species have been detected across Metazoa, and while no apparent morphological features distinguish them, it should not impede taxonomists from formal descriptions. We accepted this challenge for the jellyfish genus Aurelia, which has a long and confusing taxonomic history. We demonstrate that morphological variability in Aurelia medusae overlaps across very distant geographic localities. Even though some morphological features seem responsible for most of the variation, regional geographic patterns of dissimilarities are lacking. This is further emphasized by morphological differences found when comparing lab-cultured Aurelia coerulea medusae with the diagnostic features in its recent redescription. Previous studies have also highlighted the difficulties in di

SUBMITTER: Lawley JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8435205 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature