Dangerous jellyfish can be found in Northern Australian tropical waters. The most dangerous is the major box jellyfish. Its venom is very poisonous, and its tentacles are long and likely to touch more of the skin. Other types of box jellyfish in Northern Australian waters can cause
The Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous marine animal. They may not look dangerous, but the sting from a box jellyfish could be enough to send you to Davy Jones's locker-a watery grave, that is.
The Chironex fleckeri's venom the strongest of any species of jellyfish as it has the ability to kill an adult man with a dose that weighs about as much as a single grain of salt. One sting can result in extreme pain and excruciating burning sensations; if left untreated, it can cause cardiac arrest and death.
They may be small but the sting of the Irukandji jellyfish certainly packs a punch, and unfortunately Hannah Mitchell found out the hard way. Hannah Mitchell has miraculously survived a sting by an Irukandji jellyfish, one of Australia's most deadliest creatures.
While there have been only two confirmed Irukandji deaths in Australia, the stingers are suspected to be behind the mysterious deaths of several tourists on the Great Barrier Reef.
Irukandji-like symptoms can occur 20 – 30 minutes after the sting and include: severe pain in the body (back, abdomen and chest) increased heart rate (tachycardia) trouble breathing.
Douse the sting site with vinegar as soon as possible for at least 30 seconds. Vinegar inactivates the stinging cells, preventing them from injecting more venom. Monitor the casualty and seek further medical assistance if available.
The Irukandji jellyfish has few predators, as its small size and potent toxin make it difficult for other animals to eat. However, ocean sunfish, along with some sea turtles, fish, and sea snakes, are known to prey on the Irukandji jellyfish.
Similar to other box jellyfish stings, first aid consists of flushing the area with vinegar to neutralize the tentacle stinging apparatus. As no antivenom is available, treatment is largely supportive, with analgesia being the mainstay of management.
No direct antivenom for the venom of C. barnesi or other Irukandji-causative species currently exists. As such, treatment is largely supportive.
The box jellyfish is the deadliest jellyfish in the world, and quite possibly the deadliest marine creature as well. While they are difficult to avoid, it is best to know the symptoms of a box jellyfish sting in case you or someone around you ever has an unfortunate encounter with the creature.
Although the main bell of the box jelly is about the size of a sugar cube, its stinging tentacles can stretch for one meter (SF Fig. 3.4) The venom of Irukandji jellies, which are found off the coast of Australia, acts on the nervous system and paralyzes the lungs and heart.
The Aurelia Aurita, known as the moon jelly, is the most common and widely recognized jellyfish species. Though it has venom, it is harmless to humans—it's even a popular dish in China! The umbrella on the Aurelia Aurita can reach 30 to 40 centimeters, with marginal tentacles and gonads arranged in four circles.
Some of the most common painful stingers in the Australian bush are native bulldog ants of the genus Myrmecia. These are some of the largest ants in the world and combine a painful sting with an aggressive, take-no-prisoners attitude.
Jellyfish stings in Australia can cause pain, paralysis and death for swimmers with exposed skin. Numerous venomous species of jellyfish occur in Australian waters, including the box jellyfish and Irukandji Jellyfish. Box jellyfish are believed to have caused at least 69 deaths since record keeping began in 1883.
Comb jellyfish are completely harmless with no stingers.
The first of these jellyfish, Carukia barnesi, was identified in 1964 by Jack Barnes; to prove it was the cause of Irukandji syndrome, he captured the tiny jellyfish and allowed it to sting him, his nine-year-old son and a robust young lifeguard. They all became seriously ill, but survived.
But she said most people don't feel the sting. The symptoms include excruciating pain, predominately lower back and abdominal, headache, nausea, vomiting and a feeling of impending doom. “The doom is hard to explain but they're absolutely terrified and look like they're terrified,” Dr Phillips said.
What are my chances of getting stung by an Irukandji? Rare. Out of the millions of “people days” each year in the Great Barrier Reef waters, in a particularly bad year, only around 100 Irukandji stings occur in Queensland which require medical treatment.
The Australian Resuscitation Council recommends the use of vinegar as first aid treatment for some jellyfish stings, including those that cause Irukandji syndrome (Australian Resuscitation Council 2010).
Experts agree vinegar (due to its acetic acid content) is the best treatment for box jellyfish and their smaller cousins, the irukandji. The vinegar works by inhibiting the stinging cell discharge.
Where are they found in Australia? Irukandji are usually found in tropical waters, from Bundaberg in Queensland, up around the northern coastline of Australia, to Geraldton in Western Australia. They have been found as far south on the eastern coastline as Hervey Bay, but this is not common.
The venom from Irukandji, and its larger cousin the box jellyfish, can cause Irukandji syndrome; a painful, potentially lethal condition associated with a sense of "impending doom". There have been two confirmed Irukandji deaths in Australia.
Irukandji Syndrome affects people differently and some patients may develop heart failure, pulmonary oedema and hypertensive stroke.
Stinger suits are full body suits designed to protect you from stingers such as blue bottles and Irukandji.