MEDUSA or SOLMARIS?
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by darktruth
I found it dificult to tell the difference between a solomaris (or i believe thats the name?) and a medusa that has more than four legs.
Does anyone have tips that could help me to give the right answers?Posted
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by yshish moderator, translator
Hi @darktruth
I'd like to help you with the recognition, hope I'll be able to explain..
As far as I know, #Solmaris have flat head and could have from 10 to 36 (or 16 to 40, not sure, depends on the source) distinct tentacles, which are straighter and stronger compare to the #morethan4tentacles #Medusa. They look like long eyelashes:)
Have a look at these images, it could help you:
1. #Solmaris
(from different angles):
![x](http://planktonportal.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/solmaris020056127_invert.jpg =600x) Full size
2. #Medusa #morethan4tentacles
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1bd903ae74008a40072a7.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1be3a3ae74008a4035a5a.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1bd833ae74008a4001811.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1be2a3ae74008a402dc3e.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1bee53ae74008a405aea3.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1bda33ae74008a4012258.jpg =450x) Full size
![x](http://www.planktonportal.org/subjects/standard/51d1bec33ae74008a404f920.jpg =450x) Full size
The last one displays a Medusa with retracted tentacles.
As you can see, #morethan4tentacles could have both - short or long, but disordered tentacles, and rounded top of the head.
Hope it was helpful for you. But remember, if you won't be sure whether it is a #Solmaris or a #Medusa #morethan4tentacles, just tag it as the #morethan4tentacles one, it includes them all 😃 You can always ask for help.
Edit: Here is a thread where I'm trying to describe the differences between Solmaris and other Narcomedusae.
Ysh_
Posted
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by yshish moderator, translator
*so these two guys are #solmaris!
Posted
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by Nerdy_Sophie
Amazing!! What kind of cameras do you use to take this photos?
Posted
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by yshish moderator, translator in response to Nerdy Sophie's comment.
Hi Sophia 😃
Nice to meet you here!
All the data were captured by an underwater imaging system called In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS in short). There is a nice blog post about this amazing device with some photos from the fieldwork.
Hope you like it! 😉 (It has got its own FB fan page!!)
Zuzi
Posted
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by yshish moderator, translator
I made montages of #Solmaris and #Medusa #morethan4tentacles of different size and species from different angles to help you tell them apart 😃.
#Solmaris
![s](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4GixV-Mp1Xk/VoKns2e2LiI/AAAAAAAAIqg/1j6lrG_hdGA/s0-Ic42/ysh_SOLMARIS.jpg =730x) FULL resolution
#Medusa #morethan4tentacles
![mmt4](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D6LllalKnrM/VoLfhaPP1-I/AAAAAAAAIrA/DLZYIQURnas/s0-Ic42/ysh_MEDUSA-morethan4.jpg =730x) FULL resolution
Posted