Abstract

The aim of this paper is to describe the presence of Carybdea marsupialis in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. For this purpose, five beaches in the Gulf of Cadiz were sampled. A total of 534 individuals were found distributed in two periods: 2016-2017 and 2019-2020, whose highest monthly densities were 18.2 ind. 1000 m(-2) and 2.2 ind. 1000 m(-2) respectively. The species was recorded at temperatures above 22.5 degrees C in 2017 and 19 degrees C in 2019. Peak abundance in 2017 was at 24.2 degrees C whilst in 2019 it was at 21.1 degrees C. A negative binomial GLM model was used to determine a relationship between both variables. The results suggest a possible positive relationship. The appearance and occurrence of the species over time may be due to favorable environmental conditions and to the ideal ecological conditions of the Peninsula's southern Atlantic margin. More studies are needed to clarify the relationship between the species abundance and the sea temperature. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.