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10 Scary facts about the Australian Box Jellyfish
Australia is home to some of the world’s deadliest animals and the continent houses scary creatures and insects. The box jellyfish is one such it can kill in minutes. It is one of the most deadly creatures on earth.
There are 50 or more species of box jellyfish found in warm coastal water and very few hold venom that is lethal to humans. The two most poisonous jellyfish are the box jellyfish from Australia and the Irukandji jellyfish. The Australian box jellyfish is the most harmful of the jellyfish.
The box jellyfish continues to increase in population hence increasing more encounters with humans. The following are the 10 most frightening truths about Australian box jellyfish that will shock you.
1. The venom of the Australian box jellyfish lies in their tentacles
The parts of a jellyfish, Image by Shao-Wikimedia
The Australian box jellyfish grows up to 15 tentacles that can reach up to 3 meters in length. Each of the 15 tentacles has about 5,000 stinging cells. These cells are activated by chemicals on the skin of animals or humans. The venom is formed to either stun or kill their prey and thus avoid any damage to their delicate tentacles.
2. The Australian box jellyfish can swim up to 6 meters per minute
Pink jellyfishes underwater, Photo by Mathilda Khoo-Unsplash
The Australian box jellyfish can move through the water rather than glide like all the other jellyfish due to its shape. The Australian box jellyfish is transparent in color their bell is like a four-sided box with a cluster of six eyes on each side. The sides allow them to steer through the water and move up to six meters per minute.
3. The box jellyfish shrinks if they don’t eat
The box jellyfish eats up to three times a day. The box jellyfish is prone to shrinking in size if they don’t eat. The small box jellyfish feeds on prawns while the big jellyfish feed on fish. Discoveries reveal that the box jellyfish can lose up to 30% of its body weight within 24 hours if it doesn’t eat.
4. The Australian box jellyfish are good hunters
The box jelly is a good hunter due to its ability to see and swim, unlike other jellyfish. This has made them adapt and become excellent hunters. They enjoy dining on prawns and fish.
They also eat fish eggs and are once in a while observed swallowing larvae of other jellyfish. The box jellyfish have very large stomachs and will eat their fill when they find a good source of food.
5. Australian box jellyfish have a total of 24 eyes but lack brain cells
The Australian box jellyfish is the only species to have 24 sets of eyes instead of two like other species. They use this special feature when they swim and can navigate through tight areas and around objects.
The 24 eyes can detect the size and color of an object and the degree of light in the water surrounding them. Scientists have discovered they can’t detect transparent objects very well.
The eyes of the box jellyfish are on the structure that hangs below their bodies’ with one eye on top of the structure and the other on the bottom. The location of their eyes makes them see almost all their surrounding at once. But since the box jellyfish has no brain scientists are still trying to figure out how they process what they see.
6. The sea turtle is the only animal that can survive the box jellyfish sting
Most marine and land animals can be stung by box jellyfish. The sea turtles can survive the sting due to their thick skin that cannot be penetrated. Yet they are not an exemption from these stings because they can be stung in their eyes.
7. The box jellyfish can produce both sexually and asexually
Orange jellyfishes, Photo by Francis Taylor on Unsplash
The box jellyfish has a lifespan of a year according to laboratory studies. The reproductive process can sometimes take much longer than the actual life of a full-grown jelly. Similar to the other jellyfish adults can reproduce sexually by releasing eggs and sperm into the water. A planula is formed and it forms the jelly larval stage.
The planula grows into polyps that attach themselves to the surface using their tiny tentacles. Then they connect with their brothers and sisters through resembling feed tubes. The polyps propagate asexually and duplicate themselves into what eventually becomes an adult jellyfish.
8. The most poisonous box jellyfish live in the Pacific
Chironex Fleckeri, the sea wasp-Wikimedia
The box jellyfish species don’t like cold water hence they can be found hanging out in warmer waters all over the world. Many of these jellyfish are not poisonous but the most venomous and most dangerous live in the ocean around Australia and the Pacific.
Chironex fleckeri is found in the water around Australia and is the largest and deadliest of all box jellyfish. It is the most venomous of the marine creatures on earth.
The population of box jellyfish has increased over recent years this is possible due to climate change. The spillage of fertilizers that deplete oxygen in the ocean and overfishing have reduced the number of fish in the waters. Fish are the primary predator of jellyfish so in fish reduction, box jelly is finding it easier to survive and reproduce.
9. They are responsible for over 60 deaths in the last ten decades
The toxin presence within the venom of the box jellyfish is known to attack the skin cells, nervous system, and heart. Humans who have been stung can go into shock and drown or die due to a heart attack before they could have a chance to reach the shore. There have been only 63 reported deaths since 1884. For survival, it is important to keep the heart pumping in case you are stung by the box jellyfish.
10. Global warming has led the box fish to spend more time in our waters
Due to the global warming effect, the Australian box jellyfish season extends as a result of the rise in sea temperatures. The warmer water has attracted so much more box jellyfish.
Their season before weather changes ran from November through May. With the effect of climate change, some can be found as late as July. Ensure to check your environment before swimming for safety purposes.
While enjoying a swim in the warm coastal waters of Australia you are bound to run into some jellyfish. Some will be as small as thumbnail others as big as a TV’s remote controller. Always ensure your safety while enjoying a swim in the coastal waters of Australia and everywhere else.
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