Neoturris breviconis

Claire Goodwin There were a lot of these about on our dive in Northern Ireland at the weekend. From Russel's pictoral key (and a quick google) it seems most likely to be Pandea conica but from Russell's notes this seems to have a more southerly distribution (Med and S Atlantic) - although I see Wilfred's site has it in the North Sea. Any opinions?

Penny Martin could it be leuckartiara octona ???

Claire Goodwin sounds probable penny martin - thanks, distribution more likely. I'll have to have a good read of the key for that family.

Darryl Mayer They've been "blooming" in Upper Loch Sunart since the beginning of May, along with huge amounts of Comb Jellies too.

Penny Martin we have had lots of comb jellies too ... mainly bolinopsis infundibulum

Claire Goodwin leuckartiara octona is consensus - thanks!

Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat Hi Claire, I've made some brainstroming today on those little anthomedusae that look so similar. On our photos, I think tentacles are the only distinguishable character that helps to determine which species it could be. I think that yours is Leuckartiara nobilis : tentacles of different size but relatively close from each other as with Pandea conica. But P. conica has tentacles of the same size often grouped together by 3 to 4. Leuckartiara octona seems to have more space between tentacles because of adjacent rudimentray bulbs. As for the other species, Neoturris breviconis and Neoturris pileata, they have a greater number of tentacles.

Claire Goodwin Thanks Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat - I really will have to read the key now.

Andy Horton Which key do you use please?

Claire Goodwin I'm looking at Russel's (1953) 'the medusae of the British Isles' which is available as a free pdf here http://www.mba.ac.uk/nmbl/publications/medusae_1/medusae_1.htm. There may be a more modern one but I haven't come across it.

Andy Horton Thanks a lot. I thought that might be it. I did not know it was available online though.