Abstract Jellyfish population play an important role in aquatic food chains, and many animals predate on this ‘mostly water containing’ organisms. However, what gelativores predators could gain from their prey is still poorly understood. This study provides insight into the nutritional value of the moon jelly (Aurelia aurita) by means of its fatty acid (FA) composition, while investigating seasonal variability and differences between its free-swimming life stages. A biweekly sampling was carried out in a temperate coastal ecosystem, the Kiel Fjord, Germany and during two consecutive years. FA profile of A. aurita showed significant seasonal variability, while mature medusae (due to reproductive tissues) possessed highest FA content. In addition, moon jelly contained several essential FAs (i.e. arachidonic acid, 20:4ω6; eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5ω3; docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6ω3), which likely support predator’s vital physiological functions. Even though total FA contents proved to be low (7 × 10−3–34 × 10−3% per g dry weight), evidence supporting A. aurita’s capability to meet the dietary requirements of predators such as fish and crustaceans is provided. Finally, implications for gelativore and future food web configurations are discussed, while proposing that jellyfish are likely to be, and become, more than an opportunistic prey to many organisms.

中文翻译：

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Aurelia aurita (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) 中脂肪酸组成的季节性变化：对胶食动物食物网研究的影响

摘要 水母种群在水生食物链中发挥着重要作用，许多动物以这种“主要含水”的生物为食。然而，食肉动物掠食者可以从猎物中获得什么仍然知之甚少。本研究通过脂肪酸 (FA) 成分深入了解月亮果冻 (Aurelia aurita) 的营养价值，同时调查其自由游动生命阶段之间的季节性变化和差异。每两周在德国基尔峡湾温带沿海生态系统中进行一次采样，并连续两年进行。A. aurita 的 FA 谱显示出显着的季节性变化，而成熟的水母（由于生殖组织）具有最高的 FA 含量。此外，月饼还含有多种必需脂肪酸（即花生四烯酸，20:4ω6；二十碳五烯酸，20：5ω3；二十二碳六烯酸，22:6ω3），这可能支持捕食者的重要生理功能。尽管证明总 FA 含量很低（每克干重 7 × 10−3–34 × 10−3%），但仍提供了支持 A. aurita 满足捕食者（如鱼类和甲壳类动物）饮食需求的能力的证据。最后，讨论了对食凝胶动物和未来食物网结构的影响，同时提出水母很可能不仅仅是许多生物的机会主义猎物。