STAUROMEDUSAE UK

An online guide to the Stalked jellyfish (Stauromedusae) found
around the coastal waters of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Includes notes on their identification, and where and how to find them.

Haliclystus auricula (Rathke, 1806) - Kaleidoscope jellyfish*

Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- side view 1

The above image of Haliclystus auricula has been kindly supplied by Marco Faasse, the copyright holder. Image was taken in Holland. Marco Faase, reports seeing Haliclystus auricula very rarely, only in the Lake Grevelingen in The Netherlands, and only in the months of May in 2006 and 2012.

Images from the Orkney Islands

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- lateral view 1

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- lateral view 2

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- oral view 1

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- lateral view 3

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- oral view 2

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- oral view 3

Kaleidoscope jellyfish
Haliclystus auricula
- oral view 4

The above images of Haliclystus auricula have been kindly supplied by Penny Martin, the copyright holder. The top five images feature Haliclystus auricula on what is possibly the algae Spermatochnus paradoxus, East side of 2nd Barrier 58, 53.0 N 02 54.4 W. Orkney Islands. 02.06.2013.

In the UK
* H. auricula was in 2010 given the name ‘’Kaleidoscope jellyfish’’ in a national newspaper competition run in conjunction by the Guardian newspaper and Natural England.

The status of this species is extremely unclear, especially with Haliclystus octoradiatus being within Haliclystus auricula for much of the 20th century, only being removed in 1997. I am not aware of any recent verified records. There is a possibility it may still be found in Cornwall as there is a record for Haliclystus auricula on Laminaria at Battery Rock, Penzance, Cornwall for June 20th 1965. It's not unheard of for Haliclystus octoradiatus to be found on larger brown algal species, but I have found this species is less frequent at this site in the summer, and the time of year and algae involved seem to be right for this record to be accepted as Haliclystus auricula, the record still remains an old one in relative terms and as old as the author here. This species desperately needs to be looked for on larger brown algae on the lowershore and below during the summer months.

Outside of Europe
In North America Haliclystus auricula may be known as the Eared stalked-jellyfish, ref. A Practical Guide to the Marine Animals of Northeastern North America, Leland W. Pollock, 1998.

Stauromedusae UK - Species Account for Haliclystus auricula
Please note - Page Under Construction.

Associated weblinks

Marine and estuarine invertebrates of the Netherlands by Marco Faasse.

Stalked jellyfish on "Marine and estuarine invertebrates of the Netherlands".