Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Articles
Published: 2005-11-22
Page range: 1–30
Abstract views: 93
PDF downloaded: 2

Two new species of jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Carybdeida) from tropical Western Australia, presumed to cause Irukandji Syndrome

School of Marine Biology and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, and Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia. Surf Life Saving State and National Marine Stinger Advisor, Surf Life Saving Queensland, 18 Manning Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101.
Coelenterata Cubozoa Carybdeida Irukandji syndrome box jellyfish Western Australia

Abstract

Two new jellyfishes are described from the waters off northwestern Australia. The first, Carukia shinju n. sp., is similar to the common Queensland Irukandji Carukia barnesi, but differs from the latter in having a larger body size, branched velarial canals, nematocyst warts on both the velarial canals and the perradial lappets, fully-spined tentacular nematocyst shafts, about 14 naked ringlets between adjacent tentacular nematocyst bands, and long, narrow, capitate rhopaliar horns. The second, Malo maxima n. gen. n. sp., is distinctive from other known cubozoan species by its unique combination of having a tall, narrow, robust body with a flattened apex; frown-shaped rhopaliar niche ostia; short, broad, straight rhopaliar horns; small, narrow pedalia with a single row of nematocyst patches on the outer keel and fine, cylindrical unmodified tentacles; moderately developed perradial mesenteries; 4 simple to bifurcated velarial canals per octant arising from a single base; and lacking both gastric phacellae and a thorn-like diverticulum of the pedalial canals. Both species are thought to be dangerous to humans, causing Irukandji syndrome.

References

  1. Andrade, D.V. & Abe, A.S. (1999) Relationship of venom ontogeny and diet in Bothrops. Herpetologica, 55, 200ñ204.

    Anonymous (2004) Surfer critical after sting. Sydney Morning Herald, February 12, Available from http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/12/1076548137940.html?from=storyrhs&oneclick=true (accessed July 2004).

    Atkinson, R.K. & Walker, P. (1985) The effects of season of collection, feeding, maturation and gender on the potency of funnel-web spider Atrax infensus venom. Australian Journal of Experimental Biology & Medical Science, 63, 555ñ562.

    Bailey, P.M., Little, M., Jelinek, G.A. & Wilce, J.A. (2003) Jellyfish envenoming syndromes: unknown toxic mechanisms and unproven therapies. Medical Journal of Australia, 178, 34ñ37.

    Bigelow, H.B. (1909) Reports on the scientific results of the expedition to the eastern tropical Pacific, in charge of Alexander Agassiz, by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer "Albatross" from Oct. 1904 to March 1905, Lieut. Commander L.M. Garrett, U.S.N., commanding. XVI The Medusae. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, 37, 1ñ243, pls. 1ñ48.

    Bonivento, P., Avian, M., Ghetti, A., Ferrari, C.R., Montanari, G., Rinaldi, A. & Rottini Sandrini, L. (1992) Carybdea marsupialis (Cnidaria, Cubozoa). First observation on its recent massive presence in the mid-northern Adriatic Sea. Rapports, Commission internationale pour l'exploration scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée, 1992, 331.

    Brown, T.W. (1973) Chironex fleckeri ó Distribution and movements around Magnetic Island, North Queensland. World Life Research Institute, Colton, California, pp. 1ñ26, 2 pls.

    Calder, D.R. (1974) Nematocysts of the coronate scyphomedusa, Linuche unguiculata, with a brief reexamination of scyphozoan nematocyst classification. Chesapeake Science, 15, 170ñ173.

    Calder, D.R. & Peters, E.C. (1975) Nematocysts of Chiropsalmus quadrumanus with comments on the systematic status of the Cubomedusae. Helgolaender wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen, 27, 364ñ369.

    Carrette, T., Alderslade, P. & Seymour, J. (2002) Nematocyst ratio and prey in two Australian cubomedusans, Chironex fleckeri and Chiropsalmus sp. Toxicon, 40, 1547ñ1551.

    Cleland, J.B. & Southcott, R.V. (1965) Injuries to Man from Marine Invertebrates in the Australian Region. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra, 282 pp.

    Daltry, J.C., Wuester, W. & Thorpe, R.S. (1996) Diet and snake venom evolution. Nature (London), 379, 537ñ540.

    Edmonds, C. (1975) Dangerous Marine Animals of the Indo-Pacific Region. Wedneil Publications, Newport, Victoria, Australia, 235 pp.

    Fenner, P.J. (1997) The Global Problem of Cnidarian (Jellyfish) Stinging. London University, London, 202 pp.

    Fenner, P.J. (2000) The toxicology and taxonomy of the Irukandji (C. barnesi) jellyfish: report of a study in progress. A.C.T.M. Bulletin, March, 2ñ3.

    Fenner, P.J. & Carney, I. (1999) The Irukandji syndrome: a devastating syndrome caused by a north Australian jellyfish. Australian Family Physician, 28, 1131ñ1137.

    Fenner, P.J., Fitzpatrick, P.F., Hartwick, R.J. & Skinner, R. (1985) "Morbakka", another cubomedusan. Medical Journal of Australia, 143, 550ñ555 + 536.

    Fenner, P.J. & Hadok, J.C. (2002) Fatal envenomation by jellyfish causing Irukandji syndrome. Medical Journal of Australia, 177, 362ñ363.

    Fenner, P.J., Williamson, J.A., Burnett, J.W. & Rifkin, J. (1993) First aid treatment of jellyfish stings in Australia: response to a newly differentiated species. Medical Journal of Australia, 158, 498ñ501.

    Flecker, H. (1945) Injuries by unknown agents to bathers in north Queensland. Medical Journal of Australia, 1, 98.

    Flecker, H. (1952) Irukandji sting to North Queensland bathers without production of weals but with severe general symptoms. Medical Journal of Australia, July 19, 89ñ91.

    Gegenbaur, C. (1857) Versuch eines Systemes der Medusen, mit Beschreibung neuer oder wenig gekannter Formen; zugleich ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Fauna des Mittelmeeres. Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie, Bd. 8, 202ñ273, pl. viiñx.

    Gershwin, L. (2005). Taxonomy and phylogeny of Australian Cubozoa. (James Cook University: Townsville, Queensland). PhD thesis. 221 pp., 49 plates.

    Gershwin, L. (in press) Carybdea alata auct. and Manokia stiasnyi, reclassification to a new family with description of a new genus and two new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum.

    Gershwin, L. & Alderslade, P. (in review) A new genus and species of box jellyfish (Cubozoa: Carybdeidae) from tropical Australian waters. The Beagle.

    Hadok, J.C. (1997) "Irukandji" syndrome: A risk for divers in tropical waters. Medical Journal of Australia, 167, 649ñ650.

    Hatschek, B. (1888) Lehrbuch der Zoologie. Eine morphologische Übersicht des Thiereiches zur Einführung in das Studium dieser Wissenschaft. Gustav Fischer, Jena, 432 pp. [Not seen].

    Herziga, V., Ward, R.J. & dos Santos, W.F. (2002) Intersexual variations in the venom of the Brazilian 'armed' spider Phoneutria nigriventer (Keyserling, 1891). Toxicon, 40, 1399ñ1406.

    Huynh, T.T., Seymour, J., Pereira, P., Mulcahy, R., Cullen, P., Carrette, T. & Little, M. (2003) Severity of Irukandji syndrome and nematocyst identification from skin scrapings. Medical Journal of Australia, 178, 38ñ41.

    International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1999) International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, London.

    Kashnikova, O.V. (1979) Poisonousness of the Scorpion Buthus eupeus. Izvestiya Akademii Nauk Kazakhskoi Ssr Seriya Biologicheskaya, 17, 30ñ35.

    Kimberley Public Health Unit (2003) Jellyfish envenomation including Irukandji syndrome in Broome, WA: Correllation with climactic conditions, an attachment to the OM-16Dec03. Broome Shire Council. Broome, WA: pp. 16ñ19, Available from http://www.broome.wa.gov.au/pdf/minutes/2003/OM-16Dec03.pdf (accessed 12 July 2004).

    Kingston, C.W. & Southcott, R.V. (1960) Skin histiopathy in fatal jellyfish stinging. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 54, 373ñ384.

    Kinsey, B.E. (1986) Barnes on Box Jellyfish. Sir George Fisher Centre for Tropical Marine Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, 76 pp., plus Appendix of 7 tape transcripts, 87 pp.

    Kinsey, B.E. (1988) More Barnes on Box Jellyfish. Sir George Fisher Centre for Tropical Marine Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, 109 pp.

    Kraeuter, J.N. & Setzler, E.M. (1975) The seasonal cycle of Scyphozoa and Cubozoa in Georgia estuaries. Bulletin of Marine Science, 25, 66ñ74.

    Kramp, P.L. (1955) The medusae of the tropical west coast of Africa. Atlantide Report, 3, 239-324.

    Little, M., Mulcahy, R.F. & Wenck, D.J. (2001) Life-threatening cardiac failure in a healthy young female with Irukandji syndrome. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 29, 178ñ180.

    Little, M., Pereira, P., Mulcahy, R., Cullen, P., Carrette, T. & Seymour, J. (2003) Severe Cardiac Failure Associated with Presumed Jellyfish Sting. Irukandji Syndrome? Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 31, 642ñ647.

    Little, M. & Seymour, J. (2003) Another cause of “Irukandji stingings”. Medical Journal of Australia, 179, 654.

    Mackessy, S.P., Williams, K. & Ashton, K.G. (2003) Ontogenetic variation in venom composition and diet of Crotalus oreganus concolor. A case of venom paedomorphosis? Copeia, 2003, 769ñ782.

    Macrokanis, C.J., Hall, N.L. & Mein, J.K. (2004) Irukandji syndrome in northern Western Australia: an emerging health problem. Medical Journal of Australia, 181, 699ñ702.

    Mariscal, R.N. (1971) Effect of a disulfide reducing agent on the nematocyst capsules from some coelenterates, with an illustrated key to nematocyst classification. In: Lenhoff, H.M., Muscatine, L. & Davis, L.V. (Ed.), Experimental Coelenterate Biology. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 157ñ168.

    Mariscal, R.N. (1974) Review of researches on nematocysts. In: Muscatine, L. & Lenhoff, H.M. (Eds.), Coelenterate Biology: Reviews and new perspectives. Academic Press, New York, 129-178.

    Marques, A.C. & Collins, A.G. (2004) Cladistic analysis of Medusozoa and cnidarian evolution. Invertebrate Biology, 123, 23ñ42.

    Marsh, L. & Slack-Smith, S. (1986) Sea Stingers. Western Australian Museum, Perth, Western Australia, 133 pp.

    Martin, J.C. & Audley, I. (1990) Cardiac failure following Irukandji envenomation. Medical Journal of Australia, 153, 164ñ166.

    Oliveira, K.C.D., Andrade, R.M.G.D., Giusti, A.L., Silva, W.D.D. & Tambourgi, D.V. (1999) Sex-linked variation of Loxosceles intermedia spider venoms. Toxicon, 37, 217ñ221.

    O'Reilly, G.M., Isbister, G.K., Lawrie, P.M., Treston, G.T. & Currie, B.J. (2001) Prospective study of jellyfish stings from tropical Australia, including the major box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri. Medical Journal of Australia, 175, 652ñ655.

    Petersen, K.W. (1979) Development of Coloniality in Hydrozoa. In: Larwood, G. & Rosen, B.R. (Ed.), Biology and systematics of colonial organisms. Academic Press, London and New York, 105ñ139.

    Phillips, P.J. & Burke, W.D. (1970) The occurrence of sea wasps (Cubomedusae) in Mississippi Sound and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science, 20, 853ñ859.

    Rash, L.D., King, R.G. & Hodgson, W.C. (2000) Sex differences in the pharmacological activity of venom from the white-tailed spider (Lampona cylindrata). Toxicon, 38, 1111ñ1127.

    Salam, A.M., Albinali, H.A., Gehani, A.A. & Suwaidi, J.A. (2003) Acute myocardial infarction in a professional diver after jellyfish sting. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 78, 1557ñ1560.

    Southcott, R.V. (1956) Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 7, 254ñ280.

    Southcott, R.V. (1959) Tropical jellyfish and other marine stingings. Military Medicine, 124, 569ñ579.

    Southcott, R.V. (1967) Revision of some Carybdeidae (Scyphozoa: Cubomedusae), including a description of the jellyfish responsible for the "Irukandji syndrome". Australian Journal of Zoology, 15, 651ñ671.

    Southcott, R.V. & Powys, N.S. (1944) Marine stingings in North Queensland. 1ñ37 [Unpublished manuscript].

    Stenning, A.E. (1928) Poisoning by Trachymedusae. Medical Journal of Australia, 1, 568ñ569.

    Stiasny, G. (1930) Scyphomedusen. Resultats Scientifiques du Voyage aux Indes Orientales Neerlandaises. Mémoires du Musée Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique (Hors Série), 2, 1ñ12.

    Stiasny, G. (1937) Scyphomedusae. Sci. Report John Murray Exped. 1933-1934, 4, 203-242, Pl. 1.

    Sutherland, S.K. (1981) Venomous Creatures of Australia. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 128 pp.

    Sutherland, S.K. (1983) Australian Animal Toxins: The creatures, their toxins, and care of the poisoned patient. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 527 pp.

    Sutherland, S.K. (2001) Australian Animal Toxins, second edn. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, 856 pp.

    Sutherland, S.K. & Sutherland, J. (1999) Venomous Creatures of Australia, fifth edn. Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 131 pp.

    Taylor, D.M., Pereira, P., Seymour, J. & Winkel, K.D. (2002) A sting from an unknown jellyfish species associated with persistent symptoms and raised troponin I levels. Emergency Medicine (Fremantle), 14, 175ñ180.

    Thiel, M.E. (1928) Die scyphomedusen des Zoolgischen Staatsinstituts und Zoologischen Museums in Hamburg. 1. Cubomedusae, Stauromedusae und Coronatae. Zoologischen Staatsinstitut und Museum in Hamburg Mitteilungen, 43, 1-34.

    Thiel, M.E. (1936) Scyphomedusae: Cubomedusae. H.G. Bronns Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs, 2, 173-308.

    Thomas, C.S., Scott, S.A., Galanis, D.J. & Goto, R.S. (2001) Box jellyfish (Carybdea alata) in Waikiki: their influx cycle plus the analgesic effect of hot and cold packs on their stings to swimmers at the beach: a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Hawaii Medical Journal, 60, 100ñ107.

    Uchida, T. (1970) Revision of Japanese Cubomedusae. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 17, 289-297.

    Verrill, A.E. (1865) Classification of polyps (extract condensed from a Synopsis of the Polypi of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition, under Captains Ringgold and Rodgers, U.S.N.). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 16, 191ñ197.

    Werner, B. (1973) New investigations on systematics and evolution of the class Scyphozoa and the phylum Cnidaria. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, 20 (Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Cnidaria), 35ñ61.

    Werner, B. (1984) Klasse Cubozoa. In: Gruner, H.E. (Ed.), Lehrbuch der Speziellen Zoologie. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 106ñ133.

    Williamson, J. (1985) "Irukandji" syndrome or decompression sickness or cerebral arterial gas embolism? A differential diagnostic trap for practitioners of diving medicine in north Queensland. South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal, 15, 38ñ39.

    Williamson, J., Fenner, P., Burnett, J. & Rifkin, J. (1996) Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook. NSW University Press, Sydney, Australia, 504 pp.

    Wiltshire, C.J., Sutherland, S.K., Fenner, P.J. & Young, A.R. (2000) Optimization and preliminary characterization of venom isolated from 3 medically important jellyfish: the box (Chironex fleckeri), Irukandji (Carukia barnesi), and blubber (Catostylus mosaicus) jellyfish. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 11, 241ñ250.

    Yanagihara, A.A., Kuroiwa, J.M.Y., Oliver, L.M., Chung, J.J. & Kunkel, D.D. (2002) Ultrastructure of a novel eurytele nematocyst of Carybdea alata Reynaud (Cubozoa, Cnidaria). Cell & Tissue Research, 308, 307ñ318.