From one of the most venomous creatures on the planet to a number of people who have
suffered its vicious sting, this is what happens when box jellyfish attack.
These invertebrates are among the most dangerous creatures you’ll ever encounter in the water.
A number of box jellyfish species produce incredibly powerful venom and a sting that
can cause severe pain and even death.
They move faster than other jellyfish species, at speeds of up to 20 feet per minute.
Their nervous system is also more developed and they’ve been described as exhibiting
active, predatory behavior.
Unlike any other jellyfish species, these creatures possess true eyes, with corneas
and lenses.
This means their vision goes beyond simply distinguishing between light and dark.
Their bells can reach a 12-inch diameter and their tentacles can grow to be nearly 10 feet
long, with each of them containing thousands of stinging cells.
Number 5 Robert King Despite being the same size as a human thumbnail,
Malo kingi, or the common kingslayer has some of the world’s most potent venom.
It belongs to a species of box jellyfish called Irukandji.
Being stung by these creatures can cause Irukandji syndrome, the symptoms of which include vomiting,
a rapid rise in blood pressure and severe pain.
Malo kingi wasn’t described until 2007 and scientific awareness of its existence was
triggered by an incident in 2002.
That’s when American tourist Robert King went snorkeling in Queensland, Australia.
He was stung by a Malo kingi while in the water and died from hypertension and intracranial
bleeding.
King’s death led to more research being done on this box jellyfish species, which
was subsequently named “Malo kingi” in his honor.
Before we move on, answer this question.
Where does the box jellyfish get its name from?
a.
Its senses b.
Its sting c.
The way it moves d.
Its shape Let us know what you think in the comments
section below and stay tuned to find out the right answer.
There are at least 51 box jellyfish species known as of 2018, and it’s possible that
others are still to be discovered and described.
The most dangerous box jellyfish species, such as Chironex fleckeri and Irukandji jellyfish,
are usually found in the tropical Indo-Pacific region.
Their distribution includes the coasts of Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia,
India or Vietnam.
Other box jellyfish species can be found widely in tropical and subtropical oceans, as far
north as California or Japan and as far south as New Zealand or South Africa.
Number 4 Prue Davey 22-year-old Prue Davey was fishing in Australia’s
Northern Territory when a box jellyfish wrapped more than three feet of its tentacles around
both her legs.
The woman felt a burning sensation as she was trying to pull in her boat.
Davey said that it felt as if she was being bitten and electrocuted at the same time.
She soon realized that her life was in danger.
Fortunately, her husband called the emergency services and started carefully untangling
the tentacles from her legs.
Davey was rushed to a nearby hospital where she spent several hours in excruciating pain,
but ultimately recovered.
Survivors have compared the sting of a box jellyfish to being electrocuted, branded with
a hot iron, or repeatedly cut and stabbed.
Chironex fleckeri, the largest of the box jellyfish species, is responsible for most
deaths occurring in Australia.
At least 64 fatalities have been reported since 1883.
The sting from Irukandji jellyfish can cause fatal brain hemorrhages and annually sends
50 to 100 people to the hospital.
Box jellyfish tentacles have thousands of exploding cells called cnidocytes.
They contain harpoon-shaped microscopic mechanisms, called nematocysts, which inject venom into
the victim.
The venom causes the cells in the human body to leak potassium into the bloodstream.
This can lead to cardiovascular collapse and death, within two to five minutes of envenomation.
This makes the box jellyfish not only the most venomous creature of its kind but one
of the most venomous creatures in the animal kingdom.
Number 3 Richard Jordan Richard Jordan was attacked by a box jellyfish
while swimming off Hamilton Island, in northern Australia.
The 58-year-old man from Yorkshire, England, was on holiday when an Irukandji jellyfish
stung him.
These peanut-sized creatures are very dangerous and, unlike other box jellyfish species, they
even have stingers on their bells.
After Jordan was stung he was taken to the hospital.
The venom exacerbated Jordan’s pre-existing blood pressure and heart conditions.
He went into a coma and later died from brain hemorrhage.
Number 2 Rachael Shardlow Box jellyfish are particularly dangerous when
attacking children since their smaller body mass means that less venom is required for
a fatal attack.
That’s why 10-year-old Rachael Shardlow shocked the medical community in 2010.
At that time she was swimming in the Calliope River, in Queensland, Australia.
She was stung by a box jellyfish repeatedly in an attack that could have ended her life.
In fact, doctors were puzzled that it didn’t.
After the girl was stung, her brother pulled her to the river bank and saw the extent of
the burns on her legs.
She then told him that she couldn’t breathe and fell unconscious.
Doctors claimed that the number of tentacle contact markings on Shardlow’s legs was
typically only seen on a body in a morgue.
Against all odds the girl survived but her parents did report she was left with scarring
and short-term memory loss.
So, where does the box jellyfish get its name from?
The right answer was d, its shape.
These creatures are named after their squarish, box-like bells.
The rim of the bell is folded inward, thus creating a strong jet that allows the boxy
jellyfish to travel faster than any other jellyfish species.
Wearing pantyhose or a full body lycra suit effectively protects against the sting of
a box jellyfish.
The stinging cells are triggered by chemicals found on human skin, so they won’t fire
on a synthetic surface.
Flushing with vinegar remains a popular treatment which prevents undischarged nematocysts from
releasing additional venom.
One study, found that while this is true, vinegar may also increase the amount of venom
already discharged.
There are many remedies present in folklore, but they aren’t backed by any scientific
evidence.
These include alcohol, urine, lemon juice, boric acid, hydrogen peroxide or sodium bicarbonate.
The excruciating pain can be somewhat managed by the use of heat packs.
Removal of tentacles must be done with a gloved hand or a towel to prevent further stings.
It’s worth mentioning that the nematocysts can still fire if the jellyfish is dead or
if the tentacle has been separated from its bell.
Number 1 Sam Webster A few hours after arriving at a luxury resort
in Thailand, Sam Webster was violently stung by a box jellyfish.
To cool down after the trip, the woman went on a banana boat ride alongside her daughter.
At one point during the ride she fell off and waited in the water for the boat to come
back.
That’s when she felt a burning sensation in her right leg.
Within seconds the pain got so bad that she thought a shark had bitten her leg off.
She compared it to having her leg dipped in acid or a hundred razors being dug into her
skin.
Webster started screaming and panicking.
Luckily, her partner, who was waiting on the shore, saw what was happening.
He dove in and brought her back to land.
Her calf was covered in huge red blisters and she’d suffered third-degree burns.
The woman spent the rest of her trip to Thailand in a hospital as doctors removed the spines
from her leg.
Webster was left with permanent scarring and had to use crutches for three months after
returning to her home in England.
Thanks for watching!
Would you rather get stung by a box jellyfish or spend 12 hours on a plane next to a crying
baby?
And why?
Let us know in the comments section below!