#1308 - Carybdea xaymacana - Southwestern Stinger
The photo is from online, but when my brother was visiting the harbour at Fremantle and described matchbox-sized jellyfish with four tentacles, there’s not much else is could be. Southwest Stingers (Fam. Carybdeidae) are cubomedusans found in temperate Australian waters, but unlike the justly infamous box jellyfish, sea wasps, and Irukanji of more tropical shore, they aren’t horribly dangerous. They’re merely dangerous enough that anti-stinger suits are highly advisable (and a necessity Up North).
Despite being spineless, brainless, and lacking any visible means of support, cubomedusans are rather more capable then your average bad boyfriend. They can deftly manoeuvre around obstacles, hunt prey, swim towards artificial light and avoid stormy weather by entering estuaries. This, despite lacking brains or even any tissue to make a brain from. They DO have 24 eyes, though, with 4 being remarkably sophisticated for a jellyfish, complete with lenses. Most of the thinking about obstacles appears to take place in the eye clusters.
Being stung by other box jellyfish is life-threatening and frequently fatal, with symptoms including impeding doom and multiple brain haemorrhage. With the Southwest Stinger, the initial sharp pain fades to itching within a few hours, and the weals rarely last more than a few weeks. First Aid includes pouring vinegar over the affected area to deactivate unfired nematocysts. Remove any tentacles from the skin using tweezers or a gloved hand. Apply cold pack, and possibly a pain relieving cream, to the affected area for pain relief. This may need to be repeated for some weeks if the itchiness persists.
