Irukandji
What is the size of a man's thumbnail, lurks in the tropical waters of Northern Australia's Barrier Reef,
is almost invisible, and can kill a human being in a few short days?
Carukia Barnesi
More commonly known as the Irukandji jellyfish and related to the Box jellyfish, this tiny creature has a 2cm bell and 4 tentacles 50 to 500 mm in length. Their preferred habitat is the deeper waters of the reef. but are often swept inland by currents, making them a threat not only to divers and snorkelers but tourists as well. Irukandji's sting, while not felt immediately, brings extreme pain throughout the body and, if left untreated, can resulted in death. These jellyfish are tiny, see-through, almost invisible and can easily swim through safety nets put up to protects swimmers and tourists on the coast of Northern Australia.
The Box Jellyfish has the most deadliest venom known in the animal kingdom (but the Irukandji may soon take this spot). It is responsible for at least 5,567 recorded human deaths since 1954. Most of these have been perpetrated by the larger Box Jelly species.
Dr Jamie Seymour, of James Cook University in Cairns, Australia, is responsible for what little
we know about the Irukandji.
Unlike other jellyfish, Irukandji's venom is injected only by the tips of the tentacles, which is why the sting is mild and typically unnoticed until the venom starts to take affect. Despite this, they have stingers (which look like drops of water) along the entire length of the tentacles and on the bell.
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Irukandji Syndrome
Those stung by Irukandji start to feel pain about 30 minutes after the initial sting and can expect several days (although sometimes just a few hours) of hell: Excruciating muscle cramps in the arms and legs, severe pain in the back and kidneys, a burning sensation of the skin and face, headaches, nausea, restlessness, sweating, vomiting, high heart rate and blood pressure and, in the worst case, death. One tourist suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage after coming into contact with the tiny jellyfish.
There is no known antidote for the sting, but as of 2007, magnesium phosphate is being used to treat Irukandji Syndrome.
The inner workings of the deadly little bastard, and it's habitat - The Great Barrier Reef.
When properly treated, a single sting is not normally fatal, but at least two deaths have resulted from Irukandji Syndrome, with possibly many more which have been wrongly attributed to other causes.
The name, Carukia Barnesi, was given because of the dedication of Dr, Jack Barnes who, in 1964, spent several hours lying in the water in a wetsuit near Cairns. When a thumbnail-sized jellyfish swam past his mask Dr. Barnes stung himself, his son, and a lifeguard to make sure the specimen he had caught was the one responsible for Irukandji Syndrome.
The information which is presently known about the Irukandji jellyfish is due in the most part to the extensive field-work and research of Dr. Jamie Seymour. "From November through to May everybody's forced to swim inside nets on the coasts. That changes the entire way the beach is used here" says Dr. Seymour.
