Mnnemiopsis leidyi again more frequently in the Kiel fjord
The new comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi, which was discovered in the Baltic Sea at the end of 2006. It can be seen now more frequently in the Kiel Bay. Since the 'new one' was rare during the summer time it can be found now during dives at Falkenstein beach and between Strande and Schilksee. Who wants to be sure with the species identification needs to go for a night dive. On contact Mnemiopsis leidyi is able to do bioluminescence (creation of light). The very similar looking Bolinopsis infundibulum can't procduce these very nice light flashes. More on the identification later.
Mnemiopsis leidyi (Picture: M. Bartz)
At the end of 2006 there was an exclamation in the newspapers. A new comb jelly Menimopsis leidyi (in german there is no common name right now but in english it is the sea walnut) for the Baltic Sea was discovered by scientists from the Leibniz-Institut for marine scientists IFM-GEOMAR. This jelly fish from the east coast of north America has won notoriety with its appearance in the Black Sea. The back then the already pressurised fish stocks in the Black Sea was put further under pressure by this ravening planctivorous jelly fish.
In the Baltic Sea there was already an other lobate ctenophore the common northern comb jelly (Bolinopsis infundibulum) endemic. This species was never very common in the western Baltic. But it was possible to see it more or less frequently during dives in Schleswig-Holstein. The low abundance and the way of living was never a threat to the planktonic fish eggs and larval.
Meniopsis leidyi was discovered to be a threat to the cod eggs during 2008. Scientists expectetd the cold winter tempratures in the Baltic Sea to be a problem to the newcomer. Unfortunatly the winter 2006 to 2007 was not as cold as usually and Mnemiopsis leidy was reported by divers all over Schleswig-Holstein. In the begining of 2008 it became rare around Kiel and now in the late summer it starts to be more abundant again. More ...
