ENN News
  News Bytes
  Tuesday, August 8, 2000

  Attack of the jellyfish — In the Gulf of  Mexico, invasive jellyfish may pose
a threat  to the area's ecosystems, scientists say.  Similar alien jellyfish
have caused major  disruptions in marine fisheries in Europe,  driving out other
marine life. "One of the  biggest worries is that these jellies will feed
directly on the eggs and larvae of the area's  fish, shrimp and crabs," said
Monty  Graham, a senior marine scientist at the  Dauphin Island Sea Lab in
Alabama. "(This)  could have a serious effect on the  commercial fisheries on
the gulf coast."  Native to Australian coastal waters, spotted  jellyfish
(Phyllorhiza punctata) have  migrated to the Caribbean for the past two
decades.

        The question is: is this species a direct or indirect threat to mollusc
populations in the regions where it is becoming more common? - specualtion as
well as hard-science answers welcomed.

-Ross.