Mawia
Genus of jellyfishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mawia is a genus of jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae. It is a monotypic genus with the sole species Mawia benovici.[1] The team who discovered this jellyfish named it benovici after a late colleague, Adam Benovic.[2][3] Originally belonging to the genus Pelagia, it was later moved into its own genus, which was named after the Arab warrior-queen Mavia.[4] Although described based on specimens from the Adriatic Sea, a part of the Mediterranean, it was speculated that these might be transplants (via ballast water) rather than a part of its natural range.[2] A later study found specimens in Senegal, indicating that its natural range possibly is the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa.[5]
This is the first recorded find of M. Benovici in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea.
A view from below reveals gonads of yellow color, which means that the jellyfish is male.
A view of the top of the bell.
Jellyfish and its reflection on the sea surface.
| Mawia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mawia benovici | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Scyphozoa |
| Order: | Semaeostomeae |
| Family: | Pelagiidae |
| Genus: | Mawia Avian, Ramšak, Tirelli, D'Ambra & Malej, 2016 |
| Species: | M. benovici |
| Binomial name | |
| Mawia benovici (Piraino, Aglieri, Scorrano & Boero, 2014) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
