Genetic and morphological evidence of the presence of Phyllorhiza punctata in the southwestern Gulf of California (NE Pacific Ocean)

The jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata is native to Australia and has been widely regarded as a successful invader. In the Mexican Pacific, this species has been recorded in the Gulf of California, specifically in La Paz Bay and the coast of the Baja California peninsula, but the origin of its introduction to the Mexican Pacific is unknown. There is a poor baseline of knowledge and monitoring of this species; therefore, the present study provides genetic and morphological evidence of the reappearance of this exotic species in La Paz Bay, Mexico. The taxonomic identification of the specimen was carried out based on the morphological descriptions, and its identity was corroborated with the BLAST search tool and phylogenetic analyses. The collected specimen showed genetic and morphological evidence indicating that it belongs to P. punctata, whose distribution has expanded to tropical and subtropical coastal waters of 16 countries. Therefore, this study allows the establishment of a baseline for future studies of this invasive jellyfish.