Scientific name: Chironex fleckeri
Class: Cubozoa
THE BOX
JELLYFISH!
BY
RILEY ANASTASI!
WHAT IS IT?
The box Jelly fish is an invertebrate sea
animal (also known as a Sea Wasp). It is
a very dangerous creature that inhabits
Australian waters. This Jellyfish is
responsible for more deaths (in Australia)
than snakes, sharks and many more
animals. The jellyfish has extremely
deadly neurotoxic toxins in it‘s body.
When it‘s tenticals sting something it
realeases them, poisening it‘s victim. It
can kill an adult in 4 minutes.
The jellyfish has a square body (hence
were it gets its name) and inhabits the
north east areas of Australia. It is
comonly found along the coast of the
Great Barrier Reef.
This species is related to another deadly
jellyfish, the irukandji jellyfish.
WHAT IS IT?
They are pale blue and transparent in colour.
They can grow up to 15 tentacles from each
corner of the bell (60 tentacles in total)which
can reach up to 3 meters in length. It’s body
measures up to 30 cm in diameter and it’s
weight can reach 2 kg. Each tentacle has
about 5,000 stinging cells, which are triggered
by the presence of a chemical on the outer
layer of its prey. Not by the touch of it’s prey.
Box jellyfish are highly advanced among
other jellyfish. They have the ability to move
rather than just drift. Moving up to four knots
through the water. They also have eyes
grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of
their bell. Each cluster includes a pair of eyes
that are very detailed and complex, without a
central nervous system scientists today are
still not sure how they process what they see.
BOX JELLY FISH
ATTACKS 10 YEAR OLD!
BOX JELLY FISH
ATTACKS 10 YEAR OLD!
Rachael Shardlow, a ten year old girl, was attacked by a box jellyfish in Calliope river in
central Queensland. Rachael had been swimming in the River (23 kilometres upstream
from the ocean mouth) with her brother, near the town of Gladstone when she was
stung. Losing consciousness, her brother (13 years old) had to pull her out of the water
and the jellyfish's tentacles that were still wrapped around her legs. Before she passed
out, she told him she could not see or breathe.
Box jellyfish stings are so painful that victims often go into shock, get paralysed and
drown or die of heart failure before reaching shore. There is no known antidote. The
sting attacks the heart, nervous system and skin. They also give their victims shooting
muscle pains, vomiting and a rapid rise in blood pressure.
Jamie Seymour, a zoology professor from James Cook University, told the news,
"When I first saw the pictures of the injuries I just went, 'You know, to be honest, this kid
should not be alive. I mean, they are horrific creatures.’
Rachael's father, Geoff, says his daughter has some short-term memory loss as well as
the scarring. Medics say she should be dead and her family are just thankful for a
miracle. She spent six weeks recovering in hospital before returning home.
HOW DOES IT
ATTACK?
The box Jellyfish tentacles have about
5,000 stinging cells. These are triggered
by the presence of a chemical on the outer
layer of its prey. It paralyses the prey
The box jellyfish actively hunts
zooplankton and small fish. Most jellyfish
can only drift but the box jellyfish is
capable of achieving speeds of up to 4
knots (7.4kmh) which is a big advantage
when hunting.
Box jellyfish are sometimes known as the
‘suckerpunchers’ of the sea because their
sting is rarely detected until the venom is
injected and because they are almost
transparent.
Sea turtles, however, are apparently
unaffected by the sting and eat box jellies.
IT’S VENOM!
The venom is very complex. It has
neurotoxic effects, which is fast acting. It
attacks the central nervous system,
stopping the messages from being sent
from the brain around the body. You are
quickly paralyzed which eventually stops
the respiratory system from working, you
can drown, die from heart failure or many
other the things.
It will also inflame, disrupt sodium and
potassium ion exchange, attack organs
and cellular structure.
Box jellyfish venom has a median lethal
dose of 40 micrograms, which makes it
the strongest marine toxin. The venom
may kill a person weighing 70 kg within 3
minutes. Box jellyfish venom has caused
72 deaths secondary to respiratory
paralysis, neuromuscular paralysis
drowning, and cardiovascular collapse.
HOW NEUROTOXIC
VENOM WORKS!
Once a tentacle of the box jellyfish
sticks to the skin, it pumps
nematocysts with venom into the skin
causing the sting and lots of pain.
Removal of additional tentacles is
usually done with a towel, gloved
hand or other tool to prevent
secondary stinging. Tentacles will still
sting if separated from the bell, or
after the creature is dead.
The venom works by either breaking
down the cells producing important
signal chemicals or by combining with
the chemicals themselves. This
confuses the receptors which should
be transmitting messages around the
body.
TREATMENT!
Vinegar is an effective treatment as it disables the box jellyfishes
nematocysts not yet discharged into the bloodstream. This does not relieve
pain, but prevents additional stings. Make sure never to rub the area with
sand or anything else.
You should apply lots of vinegar before and after the stinging tentacle is
removed. If you have not applied vinegar to and around the sting when you
remove the tentacle you may cause some nematocysts to come into contact
with the skin and cause more stinging. Tentacles will still sting if separated
from the jellyfish or after it has died.
Some rumors on sting treatment say that urine, sodium bicarbonate, lemon
juice, applying heat or cold packs, alcohol, fresh water or steroid cream will
disable any further stinging. There is no scientific evidence to support this,
these substances may even quicken the release of venom.
In really bad box Jellyfish cases cardiac arrest can occur quickly so CPR
(Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can be life saving. If the victim stops
breathing this should take priority over all other treatment options.
In 2011 Professor Angel Yanagihara announced that she had developed an
antivenom by analyzing the box jellyfishes venom. Its was demonstrated in
the documentary Venom: Nature's killer.
ATTACK STATISTICS!
The statistics are actually surprisingly low. They are thought to be higher because the media
publishes and makes big stories out of the attacks. The Box Jelly fish has been the cause of
around 70 fatal jellyfish attacks in tropical Australian waters.
BIBLIOGRAPHY!
http://www.itsnature.org/sea/other/box-jellyfish/
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/marine-life/jellyfish1.htm
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://villageofjoy.com/10-most-poisonous-animals-in-the-world/
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081211025411AAd75mg
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_jellyfish
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/cnidaria/cubozoasy.html
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/explorer/animals/marine_invertebrates/corals_and_jellyfish/jelly
fish
Access date: 12/10/2012
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2010/s2883331.htm
Access date: 18/10/2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/27/box-jellyfish-attack-girl_n_553664.html
Access date: 18/10/2012
http://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/publications/pdf/Box_jellyfish.pdf
Access date: 18/10/2012
BIBLIOGRAPHY!
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/box-jellyfish.htm
Access date: 1/11/2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_jellyfish
Access date: 1/11/2012
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Au_osbN6TA.vfj.IQhP5wmwJ5wt.;_ylv=3?qid=2
0080127123503AAfyWBS
Access date: 1/11/2012
http://www.bobinoz.com/blog/2565/meet-the-most-venomous-animal-on-the-planet/
Access date: 1/11/2012
http://www.amazingaustralia.com.au/animals/box_jellyfish_sea_wasp.htm
Access date: 1/11/2012