Modeling growth on the cannonball jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris based on a multi-model inference approach

Worldwide catches of cannonball jellyfish Stomolophus meleagris (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) have increased during the last years; nevertheless, this species still lacks updated biological knowledge for its management. This research proposes that the individual growth pattern for jellyfish can be estimated in the absence of age readings through cohort follow-up over time and by multi-model inference approach (MMI). Length data were obtained during 2010–2011 in Gulf of California to obtain cohort information using a multinomial analysis and then assign age; growth model selection was based on MMI. Three cohorts were identified and the von Bertalanffy model suitably described their growth. The species has an accelerated growth with a short life cycle; cohorts one and two reached their asymptotic length, and the third one barely reached the length-at-first sexual maturity. Growth variations among cohorts could be explained by their different biological strategies where the first two prioritized asymptotic length and the third one reproduction length. The three cohorts shared a common goal for medusoid phase, which was sexual reproduction. This information could be used for estimating harvest rates or assessing their capacity for redoubling as an invasive population in coastal ecosystems. The proposed methodology may be applied in other jellyfish species around the world.