Box jellyfish

From ArticleWorld

A box jellyfish or sea wasp are ocean-dwelling invertebrates found most often in Australia and in the Philippines. While this type of jellyfish is related to the normal jellyfish one encounters, they belong to a different class of organisms called the Cuboza. Normal jellyfish belong to the class Scyphozoa. They differentiate themselves from other jellyfish by their cubical medusae.

Defense mechanisms

The box jellyfish contains a lethal venom that stuns or kills its prey before eating it. It can also eject the venom in order to defend itself. Scientists have discovered that they are primarily active during the morning and early afternoon, after which they sleep on the ocean floor. They contain nematocysts that inject the venom into their victim. Some areas of Australia either close beaches or filter out most of the jellyfish from the beach in summer, when they are most active.

Hunting

Scientists believe that box jellyfish have the capabilities of actively hunting out their prey using an active visual system involving 24 eyes. They also do not drift in the same way as other jellyfish but can move quickly to catch up to their prey. Their eyes form in clusters on all four sides of its cube shaped body. Sixteen of the eyes can identify only light, while one pair per cluster is more sophisticated and contains all the elements of a true eye.

Sting treatment

Australian lifeguards wear Lycra stinger suits to prevent being stung by box jellyfish. If someone is stung by one of these jellyfish, the immediate application of vinegar (acetic acid) will disable the jellyfish’s stinging cells as long as they had not already injected the venom into the bloodstream. Nevertheless, the sting of the box jellyfish is very painful.