Weekly densities of medusae at station A were estimated by comparing the volumes of medusae in a tow 

 to the mean weekly medusoid bell diameter, using a medusoid diameter-to-volume relationship (Fig. 16). 

 Density estimates in 1983 and 1984 reached a maximum of approximately 3 to 4 per m but during 1985 

 never exceeded 1 per m (Fig. 17). Considering the high jellyfish densities in 1983 and 1984 and with 

 tentacles extending up to 10 to 15 cm below the bell, there was a relatively high probability that a larvae 

 would come into contact with a medusa. 



501 



40 



30 



O 20 



10 



V0LUME=7.61822 - 0.45019 DIAMETER + 0.00867 DIAMETER 

 R =0.88 N=63 



20 30 40 50 60 70 



DIAMETER (MM) 



80 



90 



100 



Figure 16. Polynomial regression of individual Cyanea sp. medusoid diameter to volume. 



There are numerous accounts that jellyfish are predators offish larvae. Several species of hydromedusae 

 and the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita were found to prey upon herring larvae (Clupea harengus) (Arai and 

 Hay 1982; Moller 1984). Laboratory studies with cod {Gadus morhud), plaice {Pleuronectes platessa), and 

 herring showed that the capture success by A. aurelia increased with medusa size (Bailey and Batty 1984). 



77 



