Abstract
The species composition, abundance and distribution of the Medusozoa community on the
Algerian coast (between 2°E and 7°E) were studied between 2012 and 2017. A total of 129 samples
were collected by vertical hauls during daytime between 0-100 m depths using a Working Party II net
(200 µm mesh size).
More than 60 species have been identified. They are represented by 34 hydromedusae, 3
scyphomedusae and 25 Siphonophores. Some species such as Halistemma rubrum, Forskalia contorta,
Kantiella enigmatica, Proboscidactyla ornata, Cunina globosa, Mitrocomium cirratum, Cirrholovenia
tetranema, Phialella quadrata and Homoeonema platygonon were newly recorded in the sampling
areas.
Overall, the analysis of the fauna of Medusozoa collected during all the periods showed higher
abundances (>10 ind.m
-3 ) at the bays of Bou Ismail and Algiers. This fauna is characterized by a
dominance of the group of Siphonophores in the different regions of the Algerian coaSt. The
populations of Siphonophores M. atlantica, A. tetragona and L. subtilis and jellyfish A. hemistoma, R.
velatum and P. noctiluca were the most dominant. Their distributions were analysed according to
hydrological parameters (temperature, salinity chlorophyll a), climatic parameters (NAO) and
interaction with prey (copepods). Several associations have been described between Medusozoa
populations and between environmental components.
The proliferation of certain merroplanctonic jellyfish may indicate ecosystem degradation. Indeed, the
high proliferation of Obelia spp. may be due to the degraded quality of the Bay of Algiers under heavy
anthropogenic pressure and it constitutes the receptacle of several sources of organic and chemical
pollution.
Keywords: Algerian coast, Medusozoa, Biodiversity, Main species, Hydroclimatic parameters, Food
chain.
‫ملخص‬
‫يجتًغ‬ ٍ‫ف‬ ‫األَىاع‬ ‫وتىسَغ‬ ‫ووفزح‬ ‫تزكُت‬ ‫دراسخ‬ ‫تى‬
Medusozoa
ٍُ‫درجت‬ ٍُ‫(ث‬ ٌ‫انجشائز‬ ‫انسبحم‬ ً‫ػه‬
°2
ً‫ان‬
7
°
)‫شزق‬
ٍ‫ػبي‬ ٍُ‫ث‬
2102
‫و‬
2107
.
‫انفتزح‬ ِ‫هذ‬ ٍ‫ف‬
,
‫جًغ‬ ‫تى‬
021
‫ػُُخ‬
‫ػًك‬ ً‫ػه‬
ٍُ‫ث‬ ‫َتزاوح‬
1
‫و‬
011
‫يتز‬
‫األكثز‬ ً‫ػه‬
.
‫انصُذ‬ ‫شجكخ‬
‫انًستخذيخ‬
ٍ‫ه‬
‫انُىع‬ ٍ‫ي‬
WP2
(
200
‫يُكزويُتز‬
‫ي‬
.)ٍ‫انشجك‬ ‫انفزاؽ‬ ٍ
ٍ‫ي‬ ‫أكثز‬ ‫تحذَذ‬ ‫تى‬
01
‫ًب‬ ‫َىػ‬
.
‫ة‬ ‫يًثهخ‬ ٍ‫وه‬
4
3
Hydromedusae
،
3
Scyphomedusae
‫و‬
22
Siphonophorae
.
ِ‫هذ‬ ٍُ‫ث‬ ٍ‫ي‬
‫األَىاع‬
،
‫انجؼض‬
‫تسجُه‬ ‫تى‬
‫هب‬
‫انجشائزَخ‬ ‫انسىاحم‬ ً‫ػه‬ ‫يزح‬ ‫ألول‬
ٍ‫ف‬ ‫تتًثم‬ ٍ‫انت‬ ‫و‬
:
Halistemma rubrum, Forskalia contorta, Kantiella enigmatica, Proboscidactyla ornata,
Cunina globosa, Mitrocomium cirratum, Cirrholovenia tetranema,
Phialella quadrata,
‫و‬
Homoeonema platygonon
‫حُىاَبد‬ ‫تحهُم‬ ‫أظهز‬ ،‫ػبو‬ ‫ثشكم‬
Medusozoa
ً‫أػه‬ ‫تزكُشاد‬ ‫وجىد‬ ‫انفتزاد‬ ‫كم‬ ‫خالل‬ ‫جًؼهب‬ ‫تى‬ ٍ‫انت‬
‫ثى‬ ٍ‫خهُج‬ ‫يستىي‬ ً‫ػه‬
‫إسًبػُم‬
ٍ‫ي‬ ‫يجًىػخ‬ ‫ثهًُُخ‬ ‫انحُىاَبد‬ ٍ‫ي‬ ‫انُىع‬ ‫هذا‬ ‫وَتًُش‬ .‫وانجشائز‬
Siphonophorae
.ٌ‫انجشائز‬ ‫انسبحم‬ ‫يُبطك‬ ‫يختهف‬ ٍ‫ف‬
‫األَىاع‬
A. tetragona
,
M. atlantica
،
L. subtilis
،
A. hemistoma
،
R. velatum
‫و‬
P. noctiluca
‫ولذ‬ .‫هًُُخ‬ ‫األكثز‬ ‫هى‬ .
‫انهُذرونىجُخ‬ ‫نهؼىايم‬ ‫وفمب‬ ‫تىسَؼهى‬ ‫تحهُم‬ ‫تى‬
‫وانًهىحخ‬ ،‫انحزارح‬ ‫(درجخ‬
،
chlorophylle a
( ‫انًُبخُخ‬ ‫انؼىايم‬ ‫و‬ ،)
NAO
‫وانتفبػم‬ )
( ‫انفزَسخ‬ ‫يغ‬
Copépodes
ٍُ‫ث‬ ‫انؼاللبد‬ ٍ‫ي‬ ‫انؼذَذ‬ ‫وصف‬ ‫تى‬ ‫ونمذ‬ .)
Medusozoa
.‫انجُئُخ‬ ‫انًكىَبد‬ ‫و‬
‫ثؼض‬ ‫اَتشبر‬ ‫َشُز‬ ‫ولذ‬
‫أَىاع‬
ٍ‫ي‬
méroplanctoniques
méduses
ٍ‫انجُئ‬ ‫انُظبو‬ ‫تذهىر‬ ً‫إن‬
.
‫وانىالغ‬
‫ل‬ ‫انًزتفغ‬ ‫االَتشبر‬ ٌ‫أ‬
spp
Obelia
‫انجشائز‬ ‫خهُج‬ ‫َىػُخ‬ ً‫إن‬ ً ‫راجؼب‬ ٌ‫َكى‬ ‫لذ‬
‫انتهىث‬ ‫اَىاع‬ ‫نكم‬ ‫ػزضخ‬ ‫َؼذ‬ ٌ‫انذ‬
ٍ‫وانكًُُبئ‬ ٌ‫انؼضى‬
.
‫المفتاحية‬ ‫الكلمات‬
:
، ٌ‫انجشائز‬ ‫انسبحم‬
Medusozoa
، ‫انزئُسُخ‬ ‫األَىاع‬ ، ٍ‫انجُىنىج‬ ‫انتُىع‬ ،
‫انؼىايم‬
،‫انجُئُخ‬
‫انغذائُخ‬ ‫انسهسهخ‬
.