| Microscopical investigations of the gut contents of six individuals of Dermochelys coriacea from southern England and the North Sea revealed the presence in all of these of numerous nematocysts, mainly scyphozoan. Only six species of Scyphozoa occur in British shallow waters and in the North Sea, viz., Pelagia noctiluca (Forskål), Chrysaora hysoscella (L.), Aurelia aurita (L.), Cyanea capillata (L.), C. lamarckii (L.) and Rhizostoma octopus (L.). For the purpose of comparison and identification an inventory was made of the cnidom of these six species (based on preserved material). Nematocysts of one or more of these species appeared to be present in each of the turtles, all six species being represented. One of the turtles in addition appeared to have... |
