Caribbean Scyphomedusae of the genus Cassiopea

When the author beheld the tranquility and the magnitude of a Caribbean mangrove-lagoon for the very first time, he was so much impressed by the wealth and the complexity of this habitat that he could not but devote his special attention to a number of simple Cassiopeas, lazily pulsating amidst the turtle-grass. Moreover these Bonairean animals challenged him to further research, because at first view, their appearance showed some striking differences from a description given some years before by STIASNY, with reference to Cassiopeas collected by VAN DER HORST on Curaçao. The result was a lengthy paper “Zur Kenntnis der Scyphomedusen-Gattung Cassiopea” (1933). The present article may be considered as a continuation, except for one thing; several subjects discussed in the first publication will here be omitted. Special attention, however, has been given to the number & shape of radial vessels, and to a few striking characteristics of oral arms & vesicles, which may be considered as being of supra-specific and infraspecific taxonomical value respectively. – Thanks are due to H. C. OBREEN (1958) and MIEKE GODERIE (1966) for their kind assistance within the scope of their student’s practical course in taxonomy.