First description of wild-collected ephyrae of Lychnorhiza lucerna (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa).

Ephyrae are the young scyphozoan jellyfishes that usually passes unnoticed, whereas their adult counterparts play major ecological roles and can negatively affect economic activities when they occur in high densities. We describe, for the first time, wild ephyrae of Lychnorhiza lucerna (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae) from the Patos Lagoon Estuary, Southern Brazil. A total of 10 ephyrae were found in salinities between 12 and 33 and temperatures between 16 and 27°C. The presence of digitata, eight oral arms and serrated tips on marginal lobes allowed species determination. Wild ephyrae were morphologically identical to laboratory-cultivated individuals. The youngest individual was about one to two days old, and the most developed one, between 12 and 14 days old. Recruitment of L. lucerna probably initiated during warmer months (December until February) because nine out of ten individuals were found in high temperature (> 20° C) and salinity (> 30) waters. On the other hand, a mid-winter occurrence of a single ephyra (T=16° C, S= 12) demonstrates that the species may support a considerable range of variation in the physical environment. We reinforce the importance of long-term studies to provide information about the species coupling with seasonal cycles and the dynamics of estuarine and coastal areas.