Records of ctenophores from South Africa
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Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PeerJ Inc.
Abstract
Although ctenophores can be conspicuous components of the plankton in coastal marine ecosystems, only six species have been formally described from around South Africa. Using photographs from local community scientists, we add a further three species (Cestum veneris, Beroe forskalii?, Ocyropsis maculata?) and six morphospecies to the regional fauna. These additions suggest that South Africa has a ctenophore fauna that is amongst the most diverse, globally; an observation in agreement with information from other taxa. Tips on how community scientists can improve their photographic contributions to understanding ctenophore diversity are provided.
Description
Keywords
Agulhas current, Benguela current, Coelenterata, Community science, Ctenophora, Diversity, Southern Africa
Citation
Gibbons, M.J. et al. (2021). Records of ctenophores from South Africa. PeerJ, 9,e10697