Successful Culture of Pelagia noctiluca (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) Over Time: A Continuous Supply of the Holoplanktonic Jellyfish for Research and Industrial Applications

The scyphozoan Pelagia noctiluca has potential value for research and a wide variety of industrial applications. However, its holoplanktonic life cycle makes it difficult to maintain permanent stock in aquaculture, unlike the continuous supply newly-released ephyrae from jellyfish species with benthic stage. We investigated optimal feeding conditions captive breeding P. , monitoring total body diameter, morphological development, survival rate, instantaneous growth rate. Diets different items encapsulated gelatin or non-motile prey were not suitable successful early stages (ephyra metaephyra), whereas rotifers sufficient food source healthy growth. Fertilized eggs sexually-mature obtained at 84.5 ± 2.1 87.0 9.9 days post-fecundation presence absence gelatinous ( Aurelia sp.), respectively. In contrast general consensus, we demonstrate that incorporation medusivorous was essential proper closure cycle. Instead, recommend inclusion white shrimps Acetes sp.) formation maturation gonads production eggs. Instantaneous rates (57.0% d -1 ), highest reported date this conditions, higher during stages. A third generation cultured first time (169 – 179 experimental days), demonstrating durability culture, providing halving mature individuals compared previous studies. Finally, validated use captive-bred specimens through quantification hemolytic area after sting process using tentacle skin blood agarose assay methodology.