FIELD BEHAVIOR OF TRIPEDALIA-CYSTOPHORA (CLASS CUBOZOA)

Cubozoan medusae are noted for behavior more complex than other cnidar ian classes and for possessing rhopalial sense organs that include mul tiple complex eyes with spherical lenses. Tripedalia cystophora, a sma ll cubozoan medusa, was the subject of field observations in southwest ern Puerto Rico concerning the role of its complex eyes. A behavioral repertoire was established with in situ observations among mangrove pr op roots. Medusae show an attraction to light shafts that penetrate th e mangrove canopy and in which their copepod prey are commonly found. Non-breeding medusae feed actively on copepods in or near light shafts ; breeding males and gravid females do not feed, yet breeding males ex hibit the highest level of activity in an apparent search for mates. B ecause mating in T. cystophora can be described as a form of copulatio n, an image-forming role for the complex eyes in mating behavior is a logical assumption, but neither observational evidence in this study n or optical theory supports such a role.