The occurrence of low dissolved oxygen (DO), caused by vertical stratification and excess nutrient inputs, is an important and widely occurring physical feature in aquatic systems. Because some gelatinous species, such as the lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi are more tolerant of low DO concentrations than their prey and competitors, hypoxia may have profound effects on trophic interactions. ...

The American ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, recently found in Skagerrak off the Swedish west coast, carried parasitic anemone larvae identified as Edwardsiella sp. In Western Atlantic Ocean, M. leidyi are commonly infected by of lineata anemones. It was questioned whether came across with invasive ctenophore, or they belonged to native E. carnea However, recent molecular investigations and diffe...

Large-scale transitions between alternative states in ecosystems are known as regime shifts. Once described as healthy and dominated by various marine predators, the Black Sea ecosystem by the late 20th century had experienced anthropogenic impacts such as heavy fishing, cultural eutrophication, and invasions by alien species. We studied changes related to these "natural experiments" to reveal ...

Lobate ctenophores (tentaculates) generally exhibit a remarkable ability to regenerate missing structures as adults. On the other hand, their embryos exhibit a highly mosaic behavior when cut into halves or when specific cells are ablated. These deficient embryos do not exhibit embryonic regulation, and generate incomplete adult body plans. Under certain conditions, however, these deficient ani...

The sudden occurrence of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi has been reported recently from different regions of the Baltic Sea and it has been suggested that the species has invaded the whole basin. Here we provide the first set of quantitative data of seasonal diet composition and life history traits of M. leidyi and its predatory role in the pelagic ecosystem of the Western Baltic Sea. The siz...