It was probably a decade ago when I first read about the Box Jelly fish in a national geographic magazine. I remember being facinated for some reason, and today found myself randomly thinking about them again. So I thought I'd share the wonder. Enjoy.
(believe it or not they really are the most venomous creature in the world!)
The infamous box jellyfish developed its frighteningly powerful venom to instantly stun or kill prey, like fish and shrimp, so their struggle to escape wouldn’t damage its delicate tentacles.Their venom is considered to be among the most deadly in the world, containing toxins that attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. It is so overpoweringly painful, human victims have been known to go into shock and drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore. Survivors can experience considerable pain for weeks and often have significant scarring where the tentacles made contact.Box jellies, also called sea wasps and marine stingers, live primarily in coastal waters off Northern Australia and throughout the Indo-Pacific. They are pale blue and transparent in color and get their name from the cube-like shape of their bell. Up to 15 tentacles grow from each corner of the bell and can reach 10 feet (3 meters) in length. Each tentacle has about 5,000 stinging cells, which are triggered not by touch but by the presence of a chemical on the outer layer of its prey.Box jellies are highly advanced among jellyfish. They have developed the ability to move rather than just drift, jetting at up to four knots through the water. They also have eyes grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of their bell. Each cluster includes a pair of eyes with a sophisticated lens, retina, iris and cornea, although without a central nervous system, scientists aren’t sure how they process what they see.
Article from National Geographic
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
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3 comments:
Hey Marli,
Thanks so much for sharing this. I had no idea this was the most venomous creature in the world. I would have thought it was some kind of snake like the cobra. Thanks for setting me straight. :)) I love you, Mama
Amazing that something so captivating and beautiful is the most venomous. I was stung by a jelly fish when I was 14, it was terribly painful. I can't imagine how painful this must be, to give someone a heart attack before reaching shore.
Lets go to the beach!!!!!!
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