title: Where are the polyps? Molecular identification, distribution and population differentiation ofAurelia auritajellyfish polyps in the southern North Sea area.
abstract: For many species of metagenic jellyfish the location of the benthic polyps is unknown. To gain insight in the distribution, species composition and population structure of scyphozoan jellyfish polyps in the southern North Sea area, polyp samples were collected from natural and artificial substrates (settling plates, marina floats and wrecks) at ten inshore locations in the Netherlands, seven offshore locations in the North Sea and in the Gullmar Fjord in Sweden. Polyps were identified to species level by sequencing both a fragment of 18S rDNA and a fragment of mitochondrial COI, and comparing these sequences to reference sequences available in GenBank and to newly obtained sequences from medusae collected in the area. All polyps sequenced did belong toAurelia aurita. For this species, molecular diversity in mitochondrial COI was high, with 50 haplotypes among 183 polyps. Population differentiation was detected between the Dogger Bank and other-more coastal-locations, indicating extremely low connectivity. No significant differences were found between coastal samples. The location of polyps ofCyanea capillata,Cyanea lamarckii,Chrysaora hysoscellaandRhizostoma octopusin the study area remains unresolved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lodewijk
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3570-6006
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Walraven
authors.affiliation: Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Floor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Microbiology, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Bleijswijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bol
authors.affiliation: Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieternella C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Luttikhuizen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecosystems, IMARES Wageningen UR - Institute for Marine Resource and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 167, 1790 AD Den Burg, The Netherlands ; Chair group Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joop W P
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Coolen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecosystems, IMARES Wageningen UR - Institute for Marine Resource and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 167, 1790 AD Den Burg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Oscar G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.affiliation: GiMaRIS, J.H. Oortweg 21, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands ; Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), Leiden University, P.O. Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands ; Department of Marine Zoology, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Adriaan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gittenberger
authors.affiliation: BiOrganized, Grenadiersweg 8, 3902 JC Veenendaal, The Netherlands ; ANEMOON Foundation, P.O. Box 29, 2120 AA Bennebroek, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schrieken
authors.affiliation: DELTARES, P.O. Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Victor T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Langenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: van der Veer