Description
''Cyanea fulva'' are known as measuring over two inches in diameter. They are often larger than ''C. versicolor'' populations but have a smaller maximum size than ''C. capillata'' populations. Their genital pouches are stretched in the same plane as the lower floor. At a young age, the four corners of the mouth become prolonged as independent, distinct, arm-like appendages. In young ''C. fulva'' populations, there are only three tentacles to each bunch. These tentacles first appear in clefts between lappets and the margins grow outward. However, mature ''C. fulva'' populations have four tentacles projecting from broad clusters in each bunch, hung beyond the actinostome. These tentacles have a general tinge of cinnamon color, are darker in the center of the main cavity, and are much lighter along the margin of the disk. The lobes of the margin are more rounded and deeper than other Cyanea populations. Cyanea disks are also larger than Aurelia disks. The stomach-cavity is represented by a pale-yellow colored ephyra. ''Cyanea fulva'' are known for having less folds compared to ''C. arctica'' populations, but more folds compared to ''C. versicolor'' populations. These folds are remarkably thin and deciduous. The areas of the concentric folds are comparatively broadest, and the radiating folds are the shortest compared to other Cyanea species. These jellyfish also have exumbrellar papillae unlike ''C. capillata''. The larvae are retained on the parent in the cysts and the characteristics of the family include development through the sessile scyphistoma which strobilates and gives off ephyrae, eventually developing into medusae.Distribution
Ecology
One study tested the responses of aquatic invertebrates such as the jellyfish ''C. fulva'' to declining oxygen conditions. Their population were acclimated to several different temperatures: 5, 10, and 15 °C. Another study concluded that Cyanea polyps struggle to survive above 25 °C. Their sting is generally considered moderately painful to humans. ''C. fulva'' free amino acid composition (FAA) was shown to have a more uniform distribution throughout the spectrum of composition as compared to ''Aurelia aurita'' and ''Chrysaora quinquecirrha'' scyphozoan polyps. In a separate study, ''Cyanea'' was found to have the greatest variety of nematocyst types such as a-isorhizas, A-isorhizas, 𝛼-isorhizas, heterotrichous anisorhizas, and heterotrichous microbasic euryteles. The study concluded that there were marked differences in the relative abundance of 𝛼-isorhizas from one ephyra of Cyanea to another. The 𝛼-isorhizas were found to be concentrated in the oral region of the scyphistoma and did not become equally distributed among the ephyrae produced by the given strobila. The euryteles were found to have a larger average length of 10.1-12.7μm compared to ''Aurelia aurita'', ''Chrysaora quinquecirrha'', and ''Rhopilema verrilli'' populations. A difference in size and distribution between morphologically identical nematocysts of ''Cyanea capillata'' and ''Cyanea lamarckii'' was also observed.Classification
Their representation is often classified as a variety of ''C. capillata''. Originally, Stiasny (1919) believed that species such as ''C. fulva'' served as color variants of ''C. capillata'' for nearly a century. Later, Stiasny & van der Maaden (1943) concluded that ''C. fulva'' populations should be considered incertae sedis. Kramp (1961) later synonymized ''Cyanea fulva'' to ''Cyanea capillata''.References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4015562 Cyaneidae Invertebrates of the United States