Assessment of the asexual reproductive strategies of the invasive clinging jellyfish, Gonionemus vertens

ABSTRACT Anthropogenic activities are accelerating species dispersal, increasing the risk of biological invasions. The clinging jellyfish Gonionemus vertens, native to the North Pacific, has expanded into temperate coastal waters worldwide. This study documents its complex asexual life cycle and reports novel observations of binary fission and budding, in addition to frustule production. Regression analyses revealed significant relationships among life-history traits, including rapid polyp maturation, frustule bud production and subsequent polyp development. These findings indicate clonal growth occurs at a predictable rate under laboratory settings, with polyp densities exceeding 24,000 m−2. Such reproductive capacity may explain the large seasonal medusae populations, though few polyps have been detected in the field. These results highlight the need for further investigation into the ecology and life history of G. vertens populations to better understand their invasive potential.