Taxonomy

Apolemia

Distribution

Status

Conservation status

Ireland: Not considered threatened.  
Europe: Not considered threatened.  
Global: Not considered threatened.

Legal status

Species of the genus Apolemia are not afforded legal protection in Ireland.

Native status

Resident

Invasiveness

Not assessed

Species Biology

Identification

Key identification features include:

  • Can attain 30 m or more in length
  • The anterior tip contains a gas float (pneumatophore) with approximately 12 pumping bells (nectophores) arranged below for locomotion
  • Nectophores resemble a half walnut and can contain reddish brown pigmentation.
  • Uniquely, Apolemia has a tentacle at the base of each pumping bell
  • Clusters (cormidia) containing pink and white polyps with multiple tentacles give the colony a fuzzy appearance from a distance
  • Often takes on a spiral shape in the water, relaxing the tentacles which act as a net

Habitat

Apolemia species are mainly associated with oceanic ecosystems, however, they have been found in shallow coastal habitats on occasion. They have been at the surface and down to depths of over 1000 m.  

Source: Kirkpatrick P.A. & Pugh P.R. 1984; Mapstone, G. M. 2009; Mapstone 2015; Totton A. K. 1965

Life cycle

Apolemia uvaria are dioecious with an entirely planktonic life cycle. Many samples collected in the past have captured the anterior end of colonies which generally contain immature gonads, thus limiting knowledge of reproduction.

Source: Mapstone, G. M. 2009; Totton, A. K. 1965

Threats faced

This species has not been assessed.

Distribution

World distribution(GBIF)

Records from Mediterranean, Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans indicate a cosmopolitan distribution, usually associated with pelagic open ocean. There are no records from Polar regions.

Source: Mapstone, G.M. 2009; Totton, A. K. 1965

Irish distribution

Irish records suggest Apolemia is relatively rare in coastal Irish waters, but on occasion the abundance can be quite high. Records are restricted to the western and southern coastlines, with observations of colonies at the surface and down to 40 m depth. Further offshore, it has been observed in the Celtic Sea and over the southwest shelf edge.

Source: Haberlin, D. et al 2016; Kirkpatrick P.A. & Pugh P.R. 1984; Minchin, D. 1987


Temporal change

Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024

The following map is interactive. If you would prefer to view it full screen then click here.

Further information

The latin uvaria means grape. The species observed in Irish waters is deemed likely to be Apolemia uvaria, however other records from other oceans are possibly a different Apolemia species (Mapstone 2003).

References

Publications

Haberlin, Damien, et al. "Diversity and occurrence of siphonophores in Irish coastal waters." Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Vol. 116. No. 2. Royal Irish Academy, 2016.

Kirkpatrick, P. A., and P. R. Pugh. "Siphonophores and Velellids." Synopsis of the British Fauna (New Series) no. 29 (1984): 154.

Mapstone, Gillian M. "Redescriptions of two physonect siphonophores, Apolemia uvaria (Lesueur, 1815) and Tottonia contorta

Margulis, 1976, with comments on a third species Ramosia vitiazi Stepanjants, 1967 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Apolemiidae)." Systematics and Biodiversity 1.2 (2003): 181-212.

Mapstone, Gillian M. Siphonophora (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) of Canadian Pacific waters. NRC Research Press, 2009.

Mapstone, Gillian M. "Systematics of Siphonophores." Evolution of Venomous Animals and Their Toxins. Springer Netherlands, 2015. 1-37.

Minchin, Dan. "The first inshore record of Apolemia uvaria (Lesueur) (Coelenterata: Siphonophora) together with some strandings of fauna on the SW Irish coast, 1985." The Irish Naturalists' Journal 22.6 (1987): 255-256.

Totton, Arthur Knyvett, and Helene E. Bargmann. A Synopsis of the Siphonophora. British Museum (Natural History), 1965.

Images