Irukandji

The species was discovered by Jack Barnes of Cairns, Australia.

The Barnes's Box Jelly has a square-shaped bell structure and long tentacles that extend out of its base. The tentacles house the nematocysts which are stinging cells. Type I nematocysts (homotrichous microbasic rhopaloids) and Type II (homotrichous haplonemes) nematocysts are both found on the tentacles and bells of the species.

Carukia barnesi feeds by stinging its prey through nematocysts and injecting venom. Once the prey is paralyzed and in captivity, muscle cells in the tentacles will aid the jellyfish to bring food closer to its mouth. At the mouth, the food can enter a gastric cavity and be digested

The Carukia barnesi is a type of "box jellyfish" that is known for producing potent venom and is known for inflicting the Irukandji syndrome. This highlights the lure-like nematocyst clusters in the water column, which actively attract larval fish that are consequently stung and consumed. This fishing behavior was not observed during dark conditions, presumably to reduce energy expenditure when they are not luring visually oriented prey.

We found that larger medusae have longer tentacles; however, the spacing between the nematocyst clusters is not dependent on size, suggesting that the spacing of the nematocyst clusters is important for prey capture. Additionally, larger specimens twitch their tentacles more frequently than small specimens, which correlate with their recent ontogenetic prey shift from plankton to larval fish. 

Carukia barnesi is a motionless animal and can see through its eyes and defend itself with stingers.

Most reported incidents have been localized to Australia during the warm summer season.

• Movement Pattern: Random

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Aquatic

• Habitat: All

• Earth: Australia

Carukia barnesi cannot be tamed.

Coming soon

Coming soon

• Vietnamese: Sứa Barnes

• Hungarian: Irukandzsi

• Suomi: Irukandji

• Northern Sami: Irukándji

• Italiano: Medusa Irukandji

• Français: Méduse irukandji, Méduse de Barnes

• Español: Carukia barnesi, Medusa de Barnes

• Português: Irukandji

• Russian: Медуза ируканджи

• Bulgarian: Ируканджи (Irukandzhi)

• Deutsch: Irukandji

• Nederlands: Irukandji

• English: Irukandji jellyfish, Barnes' Box Jelly

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carukia_barnesi

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Carukia_barnesi

• https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0124256

• https://www.gbif.org/species/2264716

• https://www.sealifebase.ca/summary/Carukia-barnesi.html

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Irukandji-Carukia-Barnesi-873997398