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.
It is important to note that not all box jellyfish encounters are deadly. However, approximately 100 people die each year from stings by the deadliest jellyfish.
Irukandji syndrome is a painful, potentially lethal condition caused by the sting and envenomation from multiple jellyfish species. It is characterized by severe pain, muscle cramping, hypertension, and potentially life-threatening cardiac complications.
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.
Jellyfish account for more than 80 known deaths since 1883. The box jellyfish was responsible for 79 deaths, and Irukandji the other two.
Threat. Box jellyfish have venom in their tentacles that can sting and kill a person in under five minutes. Children are also at greater risk because of their smaller body mass. Since 1975, there have been 14 deaths in the Top End - all children.
The tentacles of the jellyfish have tiny stingers called nematocysts which can detach, stick to skin, and release venom. Even if the jellyfish is dead, it can still sting you because the cell structure of nematocysts is maintained long after death.
The hydrozoan Turritopsis dohrnii, an animal about 4.5 millimetres wide and tall (likely making it smaller than the nail on your little finger), can actually reverse its life cycle. It has been dubbed the immortal jellyfish.
While box jellyfish are found in warm coastal waters around the world, the lethal varieties are found primarily in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia. This includes the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), considered the most venomous marine animal.
1. Box jellyfish – Chironex fleckeri
Known for lurking off the coast of Darwin and northern Queensland, the box jellyfish is one of the most potent stingers in Australia. It has been responsible for 70 deaths in the country and takes victims by wrapping its 3m tentacles around the unsuspecting prey.
Box Jellyfish feed on small fish and crustaceans. It uses its tentacles to kill its prey. Fertilised eggs grow into planula and settle on rocks in creeks and metamorphose into tiny polyps. Small jellyfish make their way to the ocean and feed and grow up to 2mm a day depending on temperature and food availability.
Habu-Kurage and box jellyfish are known to have extremely painful stings, Japanese sea nettle are moderately painful, and moon jellyfish are pretty much painless.
Do they have brains? No, jellyfish have no single centralized brain. Instead, they have radially distributed nervous systems that are adapted to their unique body plan.
The moon jelly is the most common jellyfish in UK seas, often washing up on our beaches. No need to worry though - it doesn't sting humans.
Despite what you may have heard, it's a myth that peeing on a jellyfish sting does anything to ease the pain. Not only are there no studies to support this idea, but urine may actually worsen the sting, too.
There are several popular methods to relieving the pain of a jellyfish sting, one being to apply urine. However, one UAMS specialist says there is no evidence that this method works. “Despite what anyone tells you, do not apply vinegar, urine or meat tenderizer to the affected area,” UAMS neurosurgeon Dr.
Can jellyfish feel pain? Jellyfish don't feel pain in the same way that humans would. They do not possess a brain, heart, bones or a respiratory system. They are 95% water and contain only a basic network of neurons that allow them to sense their environment.
Certain box jellyfish stings can kill a person within minutes. Other box jellyfish stings can lead to death in 4 to 48 hours after a sting due to "Irukandji syndrome," a delayed reaction to the sting. It is important to carefully monitor box jellyfish sting victims for hours after a sting.
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. A 10-year-old Australian girl who survived being stung by the world's most venomous creature, the deadly box jellyfish, may have rewritten medical history, an expert says.
The most common Australian stinging jellyfish is the bluebottle, read all about that here. The most annoying stinging creatures around Sydney are the dreaded sea lice, read about these little blighters here.
Wear protective clothing such as a full body lycra or neoprene suit, even if in shallow water, as most jellyfish stings occur when wading. This is the number one way of preventing stings, as suits protect up to 75% of the body and cover areas where stings more commonly occur.
Irukandji Jellyfish Predators and Threats
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.
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.