Irukandji
- Scientific name
- Various species
- Phylum
- Cnidaria
- Class
- Cubozoa
- Sting-o-meter
- 4/5
- Diameter
- 1cm
Irukandji sea jellies are a collection of small cubozoan (box jelly) species whose stings invoke Irukandji syndrome. The sting is initially mild but within approximately 30 minutes patients experience severe joint pain, headaches and vomiting and often require hospitalisation. Unlike Chironex fleckeri, no anti-venom is available to treat Irukandji stings. Irukandji jellies are hard to detect due to their small size so, originally, the cause of Irukandji syndrome was unknown.
In 1961, Dr Jack Barnes caught one of the suspected culprits and stung himself, his son and a volunteer surf lifesaver to prove that these cubozoans, the size of a fingernail, were responsible for Irukandji syndrome. The tiny species he collected was later named after him.
For first aid, see Surf Life Saving Queensland fact sheet.
