Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 10 minutes ago
One of the most dangerous creatures known to man is the Australian Sea Wasp and
Iradkundji Box Jellyfish.
So what actually is a box jellyfish and why are they so
dangerous?
A box jellyfish is a jellyfish which has a head which is shaped
like a bell and looks like a box.
Irukandji jellyfish are many of several similar, extremely venomous species of box jellyfish. They are very small.
An adult is about a cubic centimetre (1 cm3)
They inhabit the northern marine waters of Australia. They are able to
fire their stingers into their victim, causing a condition known as
Irukandji syndrome, which can be fatal.
The most dangerous box jellyfish are in coastal waters
from northern Australia and New Guinea to Malaysia, the Philippines
and Vietnam.
In Australia the name "box jellyfish" also known a "sea wasp"
always refers to the species called Chironex fleckeri which is
often regarded as the most venomous animal on the planet.
The amount of venom in one animal is said to be enough to kill 60
adult humans.
Notorious for its sting, Chironex. fleckeri has tentacles up to 3 m (10 ft)
long covered with millions of cnidocytes which, on contact,
release microscopic darts delivering an extremely powerful venom.
Chironex fleckeri, commonly known as the Australian box jelly,
and nicknamed the sea wasp, is a species of extremely venomous
box jellyfish found in coastal waters from northern Australia
and New Guinea to Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Being stung commonly results in excruciating pain, and if the sting area
is significant, an untreated victim may die in two to five minutes.
So what do you do if you have been stung by Chinorex fleckeri?
What you do in the next 3-5 minutes will determine whether you live or die.
You must get treatment immediately. Pouring vinegar over the sting area
will help to neutralize the venom. But you need to be quick as you will
stop breathing in just a few minutes.
You will then need to be hospitalised to ensure completel respiratory function resumes.
People are often stung because they unknowingly swim into them or play with them.
This diver wants to observe the habits of the box jellyfish and is attempting
to play with it. He is avoiding those long tentacles with the nomatecytes.
If the diver is unaware of any change of movement it could be lethal.
The top of the head is not dangerous. It is the tentacles that he needs to
be extremely careful of and avoid.
Credits and attributions:
Images:
Marinesting1 by TydeNet.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marinesting1.jpg
Australia - Hazardous Marine Creatures by Genet (Diskussion).
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australia_-_Hazardous_Marine_Creatures.JPG
Chironex fleckeri Range Map by Connormah.
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chironex_fleckeri_Range_Map.svg
Box jellyfish at Bakoven Rock DSC11031 by Peter Southwood.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Box_jellyfish_at_Bakoven_Rock_DSC11031.JPG
Box jellyfish (Carybdea sp.) (49187737008) by Rickard Zerpe.
License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Box_jellyfish_(Carybdea_sp.)_(49187737008).jpg
Irukandji-jellyfish-queensland-australia by GondwanaGirl.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irukandji-jellyfish-queensland-australia.jpg
Irukandjijellyfishsize by Anynobody.
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/deed.en
КУБОМЕДУЗА И ФРИДАЙВЕР BOX JELLYFISH & FREEDIVER by
Videodiver Kiril Ivanov.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/4np6nKjvoz4
Survivor from a box jellyfish attack : Bangkok Hospital Phuket by Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/wc2GlQJTMlE
Bonaire Banded Box Jelly #70 2013 by Jim Zandlo.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/tTiO572Rs2M
One of the most dangerous creatures known to man is the Australian Sea Wasp and
Iradkundji Box Jellyfish.
So what actually is a box jellyfish and why are they so
dangerous?
A box jellyfish is a jellyfish which has a head which is shaped
like a bell and looks like a box.
Irukandji jellyfish are many of several similar, extremely venomous species of box jellyfish. They are very small.
An adult is about a cubic centimetre (1 cm3)
They inhabit the northern marine waters of Australia. They are able to
fire their stingers into their victim, causing a condition known as
Irukandji syndrome, which can be fatal.
The most dangerous box jellyfish are in coastal waters
from northern Australia and New Guinea to Malaysia, the Philippines
and Vietnam.
In Australia the name "box jellyfish" also known a "sea wasp"
always refers to the species called Chironex fleckeri which is
often regarded as the most venomous animal on the planet.
The amount of venom in one animal is said to be enough to kill 60
adult humans.
Notorious for its sting, Chironex. fleckeri has tentacles up to 3 m (10 ft)
long covered with millions of cnidocytes which, on contact,
release microscopic darts delivering an extremely powerful venom.
Chironex fleckeri, commonly known as the Australian box jelly,
and nicknamed the sea wasp, is a species of extremely venomous
box jellyfish found in coastal waters from northern Australia
and New Guinea to Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Being stung commonly results in excruciating pain, and if the sting area
is significant, an untreated victim may die in two to five minutes.
So what do you do if you have been stung by Chinorex fleckeri?
What you do in the next 3-5 minutes will determine whether you live or die.
You must get treatment immediately. Pouring vinegar over the sting area
will help to neutralize the venom. But you need to be quick as you will
stop breathing in just a few minutes.
You will then need to be hospitalised to ensure completel respiratory function resumes.
People are often stung because they unknowingly swim into them or play with them.
This diver wants to observe the habits of the box jellyfish and is attempting
to play with it. He is avoiding those long tentacles with the nomatecytes.
If the diver is unaware of any change of movement it could be lethal.
The top of the head is not dangerous. It is the tentacles that he needs to
be extremely careful of and avoid.
Credits and attributions:
Images:
Marinesting1 by TydeNet.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marinesting1.jpg
Australia - Hazardous Marine Creatures by Genet (Diskussion).
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australia_-_Hazardous_Marine_Creatures.JPG
Chironex fleckeri Range Map by Connormah.
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chironex_fleckeri_Range_Map.svg
Box jellyfish at Bakoven Rock DSC11031 by Peter Southwood.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Box_jellyfish_at_Bakoven_Rock_DSC11031.JPG
Box jellyfish (Carybdea sp.) (49187737008) by Rickard Zerpe.
License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Box_jellyfish_(Carybdea_sp.)_(49187737008).jpg
Irukandji-jellyfish-queensland-australia by GondwanaGirl.
License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irukandji-jellyfish-queensland-australia.jpg
Irukandjijellyfishsize by Anynobody.
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/deed.en
КУБОМЕДУЗА И ФРИДАЙВЕР BOX JELLYFISH & FREEDIVER by
Videodiver Kiril Ivanov.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/4np6nKjvoz4
Survivor from a box jellyfish attack : Bangkok Hospital Phuket by Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/wc2GlQJTMlE
Bonaire Banded Box Jelly #70 2013 by Jim Zandlo.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed).
youtu.be/tTiO572Rs2M
