COMPARISON OF HYDROMEDUSAE FINDINGS IN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN ADRIATIC-SEA

The hydromedusae fauna of the Northern Adriatic Sea has been subjected to strong environmental stress and many species have disappeared from that area. Comparison of all available data shows that only a small n umber of species are characteristic solely of either northern or south ern region, and the majority are common to the entire Adriatic Sea. Be cause of the general pattern of water circulation that shifts gelatino us plankton from the southern to the northern regions, it is supposed that the hydromedusan fauna of the Northern Adriatic Sea will be slowl y repopulated.