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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Biology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1348864

Illuminating Cassiopea Jellyfish: Biochemical Revelations from Metabolism to Coloration under Ultraviolet A and Photosynthetically Active Radiation

Provisionally accepted
Samir M. Aljbour Samir M. Aljbour *Susana Agusti Susana Agusti
  • Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Sunlight, including ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), is vital for the physiology of invertebrates with symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae. While the effects of UVB and PAR are well-studied, the impact of UVA remains underexplored. This study investigates the effects of varying UVA and PAR intensities on the metabolic, oxidative, and photosynthetic responses of Cassiopea andromeda jellyfish. Over 18 days, 24 medusae were exposed to four light treatments: low PAR (±low UVA) and high PAR (±high UVA). Results showed significant increases in jellyfish mass and umbrella diameter, with no differences between treatment groups. PAR intensity primarily drove aerobic respiration and photosynthesis, with reduced PAR enhancing ETS activity and chlorophyll-a concentration, while UVA had less effect. ETS activity was positively correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration but negatively with jellyfish size. Both high PAR and high UVA exposure increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), with the highest levels under combined high PAR and UVA. These findings show that UVA does not directly affect photosynthesis but might enhances oxidative stress when combined with high PAR, increasing LPO. Despite oxidative stress, jellyfish showed consistent growth and normal morphology, highlighting their resilience to varying light. Color changes linked to PAR exposure indicated shifts in algal symbiont density. This study highlights the adaptive capacity of C. andromeda jellyfish to fluctuating light, emphasizing PAR's role in regulating metabolism and oxidative stress. It also offers new insights into UVA's underexplored impact on jellyfish

    Keywords: Ultraviolet A (UVA), aerobic respiration, Lipid Peroxidation, Oxidative Stress, Red Sea, Cassiopea andromeda, Upside-down jellyfish, endosymbionts

    Received: 03 Dec 2023; Accepted: 02 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Aljbour and Agusti. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Samir M. Aljbour, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.