First record of Cotylorhiza tuberculata (Macri, 1778) from the Sea of Marmara

Abstract

Jellyfishes, which are one of the most important consumers in marine ecosystems, may have detrimental effects on fish stocks that have economic value. Therefore, identifying and monitoring jellyfish presence is important. We observed four individuals of symbiotic rhizostome scyphozoan Cotylorhiza tuberculata in the vicinity of the Princes’ Islands Archipelago, in the Northeast Sea of Marmara, Turkey in September 2020. Although this species is a common member of gelatinous plankton in the Mediterranean Sea, the present study is the first record from the Sea of Marmara.