Carukia barnesi

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Carukia barnesi
Cubozoas.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Cubozoa
Order: Carybdeida
Family: Carukiidae
Genus: Carukia
Species:
C. barnesi
Binomial name
Carukia barnesi
Southcott, 1967

Carukia barnesi is an extremely venomous jellyfish found near Australia. Stings can result in Irukandji syndrome, and this species is commonly known as Irukandji jellyfish, although this name does not distinguish it from other Irukandji jellyfish such as Malo kingi .

Contents

A mature C. barnesi's bell is only 12 by 30 millimetres (0.47 by 1.18 in) in height. It has four contractile tentacles, one extending from each bottom "corner" of its bell, ranging in length from 5 to 50 centimetres (2.0 to 19.7 in). [1]

The species was discovered by Jack Barnes of Cairns, Australia. While on an exploration mission aimed at determining the reason for Irukandji syndrome, Barnes allowed himself, a lifeguard, and his 9-year-old son to be stung by the jellyfish. [2]

Carukia barnesi is a soft-bodied marine organism. This species falls within the Medusozoa subphylum and the Cubozoa class. It is a type of "box jellyfish" that is known for producing potent venom and is known for inflicting the Irukandji syndrome. [3]

Threat to humans

The Irukandji syndrome was first discovered after a group of swimmers were stung in the open water near North Queensland, Australia. Victims of the sting reported severe symptoms of muscle aches, back pain, nausea, headaches, chest and abdominal pains, sweating, high blood pressure and difficulty breathing. [3] Intravenous administration of morphine, hydromorphone or fentanyl is used to treat patients with this syndrome. Pethidine is avoided due to the toxic metabolite norpethidine because of the high amounts needed to achieve pain relief. [3]

Most reported incidents have been localized to Australia during the warm summer season. Due to the small size of C. barnesi (approximately 20 mm in diameter and 25 mm in depth of the bell), they often go undetected in the open water. [3]

Description

The structure of C. barnesi follows that of a box jellyfish- it has a square-shaped bell structure and long tentacles that extend out of the four corners of its base. The tentacles house the nematocysts which are stinging cells.Type I nematocysts (homotrichous microbasic rhopaloids) and Type II nematocysts (homotrichous haplonemes) are both found on the tentacles and bells of the species. [4] Muscle cells in the tentacles bring food to its mouth, where it then enters a gastric cavity and is digested. The nematocysts are capable of producing venom that changes composition as C. barnesi matures to adulthood and prey changes from invertebrates (zooplankton and crustaceans) to vertebrates. [4]

Life cycle

Cubozoans follow a life cycle that alternates between young benthic sessile polyps and adult motile pelagic medusae. The cycle begins with a planula larvae. This planula will continue to swim until it finds a substrate that it can use as support. Once the planula attaches to a substrate like a coral reef or rock, the organism will morph into a polyp. This polyp can remain asexual for extended periods of time. [5] Eventually, the polyp will begin to clone and form a polyp colony. As it continues to acquire nutrients, the colony will develop into an adult medusa. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cnidaria</span> Aquatic animal phylum having cnydocytes

Cnidaria is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in fresh water and marine environments, including jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemones, corals and some of the smallest marine parasites. Their distinguishing features are a decentralized nervous system distributed throughout a gelatinous body and the presence of cnidocytes or cnidoblasts, specialized cells with ejectable flagella used mainly for envenomation and capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living, jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. Cnidarians are also some of the only animals that can reproduce both sexually and asexually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jellyfish</span> Soft-bodied, aquatic invertebrates

Jellyfish, also known as sea jellies, are the medusa-phase of certain gelatinous members of the subphylum Medusozoa, which is a major part of the phylum Cnidaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cnidocyte</span> Explosive cell containing one giant secretory organelle (cnida)

A cnidocyte is an explosive cell containing one large secretory organelle called a cnidocyst that can deliver a sting to other organisms. The presence of this cell defines the phylum Cnidaria. Cnidae are used to capture prey and as a defense against predators. A cnidocyte fires a structure that contains a toxin within the cnidocyst; this is responsible for the stings delivered by a cnidarian. Cnidocytes are single-use cells that need to be continuously replaced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Box jellyfish</span> Class of cnidarians distinguished by their cube-shaped medusae

Box jellyfish are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like body. Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles. Stings from some species, including Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, and a few others, are extremely painful and often fatal to humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irukandji syndrome</span> Medical condition

Irukandji syndrome is a condition that results from envenomation by certain box jellyfish. In rare instances the sting may result in cardiac arrest and death. The most common jellyfish involved is the Carukia barnesi, a species of Irukandji jellyfish. Those stung may experience severe or even excruciating pain.

<i>Chironex fleckeri</i> Species of jellyfish

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 Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam. It has been described as "the most lethal jellyfish in the world", with at least 64 known deaths in Australia from 1884 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medusozoa</span> Clade of marine invertebrates

Medusozoa is a clade in the phylum Cnidaria, and is often considered a subphylum. It includes the classes Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Staurozoa and Cubozoa, and possibly the parasitic Polypodiozoa. Medusozoans are distinguished by having a medusa stage in their often complex life cycle, a medusa typically being an umbrella-shaped body with stinging tentacles around the edge. With the exception of some Hydrozoa, all are called jellyfish in their free-swimming medusa phase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irukandji jellyfish</span> Species of jellyfish

The Irukandji jellyfish are any of several similar, extremely venomous species of rare jellyfish. With a very small adult size of about a cubic centimetre, they are both the smallest and one of the most venomous jellyfish in the world. They inhabit the northern marine waters of Australia, and cost the Australian government $AUD 3 billion annually through medical costs associated with stings and tourism losses. This type of jellyfish reproduces sexually with eggs and sperm. They fire their stingers into their victim, causing a condition known in humans as Irukandji syndrome, which can be fatal and difficult to immediately recognise due to the delayed effects of the venom. There are about 16 known species of Irukandji, of which Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, Malo maxima, Malo filipina and Malo bella are the best known.

<i>Pelagia noctiluca</i> Species of cnidarian

Pelagia noctiluca is a jellyfish in the family Pelagiidae and the only currently recognized species in the genus Pelagia. It is typically known in English as the mauve stinger, but other common names are purple-striped jelly, purple stinger, purple people eater, purple jellyfish, luminous jellyfish and night-light jellyfish. In Greek, pelagia means "(she) of the sea", from pelagos "sea, open sea"; in Latin noctiluca is the combining form of nox, "night"", and lux, "light"; thus, Pelagia noctiluca can be described as a marine organism with the ability to glow in the dark (bioluminescence). It is found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, although it is suspected that records outside the North Atlantic region, which includes the Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico, represent closely related but currently unrecognized species.

<i>Carybdea</i> Genus of jellyfishes

Carybdea is a genus of venomous box jellyfish within the family Carybdeidae that currently consists of a total of 8 species. This genus of jellyfish are often found in warm waters around the world in waters such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and off the coast of Africa. Their sting can cause a range of effects depending on the species. These invertebrates will go through both sexual and asexual reproduction as they transform from a polyp to medusa. Carybdea have a box-shaped bell with four tentacles and eye-like sensory structures. There are distinct physical markings that differentiate many species within the genus. While Carybdea use their venom to act as predators, they are also preyed on by turtles and various fish. They feed on plankton, invertebrates, fish, and some crustaceans.

<i>Malo</i> (jellyfish) Genus of jellyfishes

Malo is one of a genus of box jellies in the family Carybdeida in the Phylum Cnidaria. It has four known species, three of which were described by the Australian marine biologist Lisa-Ann Gershwin. The genus was discovered in 2005. Many of the species are known for their paralytic and deadly affect. Many species in the Malo genus are very small and hard to capture and study. Many species of Malo have been captured on the Western and Eastern cost of Australia. Malo appear to be solidarity jellies.

<i>Malo kingi</i> Species of jellyfish

Malo kingi or the common kingslayer is a species of Irukandji jellyfish. It was first described to science in 2007, and is one of four species in the genus Malo. It has one of the world's most potent venoms, even though it is no bigger than a human thumbnail. As an Irukandji, it can cause Irukandji syndrome, characterized by severe pain, vomiting, and rapid rise in blood pressure.

Malo maxima is a small, and extremely dangerous Irukandji Jellyfish that is known to cause Irukandji Syndrome. It is one of the four species of Malo, along with Malo bella, Malo filipina, and Malo kingi. The Malo maxima was first described in 2005 by Lisa-ann Gershwin, who also described the Malo bella and Malo kingi jellyfish along with over 200 other species of jellyfish. Malo maxima differs from other species of jellyfish in many ways but the most confusing one is that they swim more like fish than jellyfish, however the reason for this is still unknown.

<i>Carybdea marsupialis</i> Species of jellyfish

Carybdea marsupialis is a venomous species of box jellyfish, in the small family Carybdeidae within the class Cubozoa.

John Handyside (Jack) Barnes MBE (1922–1985) was a physician and toxinologist in Queensland, Australia. Born in Charleville he is known for his research on the box jellyfish.

<i>Morbakka virulenta</i> Species of jellyfish

Morbakka virulenta is a species of box jellyfish that is found in waters near the islands of Japan. The species was originally described in the genus Tamoya by Kamakichi Kishinouye in 1910. However, unlike other species of that genus, this jellyfish did not have the vertical gastric phacellae which protect the inside of the bell with nematocyst warts. As a result, it was reclassified to the genus Morbakka due to its distinctively shaped rhopaliar horns which resemble rabbit ears. Because of its painful stings, M. virulenta has been nicknamed Hikurage, which is “fire jellyfish” in Japanese.

<i>Cyanea annaskala</i> Species of jellyfish

Cyanea annaskala is a species of jellyfish that was discovered in 1882 by Robert Lendlmayer von Lendenfeld.

<i>Clytia hemisphaerica</i> Species of hydrozoan

Clytia hemisphaerica is a small hydrozoan-group cnidarian, about 1 cm in diameter, that is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the North-East Atlantic Ocean. Clytia has the free-swimming jellyfish form typical of the Hydrozoa, as well as vegetatively propagating polyps.

Morbakka fenneri, also known as the Moreton Bay stinger or the fire jelly, is a small box jellyfish found in the waters of Australia and Thailand. It has a transparent bell shape with four mauve colored tentacles that are each 50cm long. It is hard to capture this jellyfish to study it due to its small size, fragility, toxicity, and similarity to other species of box jellyfish.

Chiropsella bronzie is a species of box jellyfish. It is considered much less of a threat to humans than some of its relatives. The species was described in 2006, and is one of four species in the genus Chiropsella. Chiropsella bronzie can be found in shallow waters off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. Goggin, Louise (November 2004). "Irukandji Jellyfish". Plants and Animals. CRC Reef Research Centre. Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2009-01-12.
  2. Gussow, L (April 2005). "The Amazing and Bizarre Discovery of Irukandji Syndrome". Emergency Medicine News. 27 (4): 44. doi:10.1097/00132981-200504000-00037.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Fenner, PJ; Williamson, J; Callanan, VI; Audley, I (1986). "Further understanding of, and a new treatment for, "Irukandji" (Carukia barnesi) stings". The Medical Journal of Australia. 145 (11–12): 569, 572–4. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1986.tb139500.x. PMID   2879213.
  4. 1 2 Underwood, AH; Seymour, JE (2007). "Venom ontogeny, diet and morphology in Carukia barnesi, a species of Australian box jellyfish that causes Irukandji syndrome". Toxicon. 49 (8): 1073–82. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2007.01.014. PMID   17395227.
  5. 1 2 Courtney, Robert; Browning, Sally; Seymour, Jamie (2016). "Early Life History of the 'Irukandji' Jellyfish Carukia barnesi". PLOS ONE. 11 (3): e0151197. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1151197C. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151197 . PMC   4783009 . PMID   26954781.

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