The Effects of Heat Stress on the Physiology and Mortality of the Rhizostome Upside-Down Jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana—Observations Throughout the Life Cycle

This study was designed to investigate the impact of heat stress on the physiological changes and mortality rates of different life stages of the rhizostome jellyfish species Cassiopea xamachana, including planula larvae, scyphistomae (polyps), and medusae. Both larval and scyphistoma stages of C. xamachana are relatively tolerant to high temperatures, but both experience nearly 100% mortality at 36 °C. Increasing temperatures also induced stage-specific effects. Settlement rates of artificially induced larvae were near 100% at lower temperatures but decreased at 34–36 °C; larvae were dead at 36 °C. When scyphistomae of C. xamachana were subjected to a gradual increase in temperature from 28 to 38 °C, polyp size declined steadily in starved animals, with animals showing clear signs of temperature stress between 35 and 36 °C. Small medusae of C. xamachana pulsed more than larger medusae and tended to have peak pulse rates at higher temperatures (~35 °C) compared to larger medusae (~29–33 °C), though the latter was not significant. At a temperature of 39 °C, all the medusae exhibited signs of heat stress, including pulsing erratically (generally lower) rather than steady rhythmic pulsations, releasing copious amounts of mucus, and having withdrawn oral arms. Temperature data presented here, and in the literature, show that pulsing C. xamachana medusae exhibit a bell-shaped curve, with temperatures over 38 °C being detrimental and becoming lethal at 40 °C. Based on the findings of this study, it is proposed that the medusa stage of C. xamachana has a higher tolerance for elevated temperatures compared to both the larvae and the polyps. Predictions of global climate change indicate that populations of C. xamachana will likely face longer and hotter summer periods, leading to increased population sizes. However, higher temperatures pose a greater risk to the survival of the species as they increase mortality in the polyp and larval stages compared to the medusa stage.