Deadly Jellyfish

Jellyfish happens to be one of those things that have always interested me since childhood. In fact, I still remember that day in primary school when the class teacher asked us what a jellyfish was, and I confidently answered, "That fish which eats jelly!". Well, thankfully, today I am much better equipped with respect to deadly jellyfish facts and information on the infamous deadly jellyfish sting. So for those of you who are relatively new to this supposedly deadliest creature or animal, read on to know more about deadly jellyfish, box jellyfish, Nomura's jellyfish, etc.

Deadly Jellyfish Facts
First of all, let me clear a common misconception which quite a few people have regarding jellyfish. Jellyfish is NOT the same as the Portuguese 'Man o' War', nor is it even remotely connected to it in any way. Both are different marine species altogether. For those interested in biological classification, the Portuguese 'Man o' War' is a siphonophore belonging to the class Hydrozoa and the family Physaliidae. The jellyfish on the other hand, is a cnidarian, that has plenty of different species belonging to a number of classes such as Cubozoa, Scyphozoa, Hydrozoa and Staurozoa. Overall, there are over 1000 known species of jellyfish, although the ones that hog the limelight and are generally known to us, happen to be the box jellyfish, Nomura's jellyfish, Irukandji jellyfish, etc.

Let us now have a look at some interesting deadly jellyfish facts.

• First of all, are all jellyfish deadly? The answer is no. In fact, very few of them can actually be termed as 'deadly'. Nomura's jellyfish, box jellyfish and the Irukandji jellyfish are known to be the most deadly of the jellyfish species and their sting is known to have caused many fatalities.
• Of the above-mentioned types, the box jellyfish is believed to be the most dangerous of the three. Its venom is highly neurotoxic as well as cardiotoxic. This species of jellyfish is found mostly off the Australian coast and in the Indo-Pacific oceanic region.
• Jellyfish have no nervous system, no brain and no blood. (Quite a bunch of brainless stingers, aren't they?). Their body is almost entirely made up of water and it has no skeletal structure as such.
• The notorious Irukandji jellyfish is no bigger than the thumbnail of your little finger! Yet, when it stings, it packs a powerful punch, and the victim, if not provided with timely medical attention, can develop serious medical complications that could even lead to death. The symptoms that a stung person exhibits are known as 'Irukandji syndrome'. This species of jellyfish is also commonly referred to as the tiny deadly jellyfish.
• Turtles are one of the rare species of marine creatures which are immune to a jellyfish sting. In fact, most turtles feed on a variety of jellyfish! (Talk about tit-for-tat...you sting me, I swallow you!).
• Nomura's jellyfish is a species of jellyfish which is found mainly off the coast of China and Japan. These jellyfish are huge in size. They can weigh in excess of 400 pounds and can easily grow up to 7 feet in diameter.
• The Lion's Mane jellyfish (also known as the giant jellyfish) is said to be the largest animal in the world. Its diameter can extend to over 7 feet whereas its tentacles can extend to a length of over 140 feet, making it bigger and longer than the blue whale.
• This one may come as a surprise. Jellyfish is also a delicacy in certain places! Yes, the same deadly stingers are treated with salt and alum which in turn, makes them safe for human consumption. Weight watchers might be interested in knowing that 4 ounces of jellyfish carry all of 30 calories!

Treating a Jellyfish Sting
The most common and the easiest way of treating a jellyfish sting is by applying vinegar to the affected area. Vinegar has the ability to render the jellyfish tentacles inactive, after which they can be safely removed from the skin. However, you should make sure that you are wearing a pair of gloves while doing so. Also, you should immediately visit a nearby hospital for further medical treatment, should the pain refuse to ease. You can read more on jellyfish sting treatment.

This was a brief overview on deadly jellyfish facts and information. Here are a few more interesting facts about jellyfish. So the next time you think of going snorkeling or diving off the Australian coast, make sure you wear a full body suit to prevent any jellyfish stings! Oh, and carry a bottle of vinegar!