Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Animals

This super rare spotted jellyfish has only been recorded once before

It belongs to a genus of jellyfish that includes the most venomous marine animal in the world.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
March 16, 2023
in Animals, News
Credit: Facebook video capture/ Scuba Ventures.

An extremely rare species of box jellyfish was sighted off the coast of Queensland, Australia, by divers who filmed the majestic marine creature. This is only the second time this jellyfish has been in front of a camera, and this footage is helping researchers understand this elusive creature.

The striking video shows four distinct groups of tentacles trailing behind a translucent body covered in ring-shaped spots of various sizes. A bright red organ can be seen inside the center of the bell, which is most likely the gastrovascular cavity, the jellyfish’s primary organ of digestion and circulation.

This huge jellyfish is known as Chirodectes maculatus, which means ‘spotted’ in Latin. It’s a type of box jellyfish, named for its body shape.

Box jellies are famous for having tentacles covered in biological booby traps known as nematocysts – tiny darts loaded with venom. People and animals unfortunate enough to be injected with this venom may experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung. The Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) is widely considered the most venomous marine animal in the world.

Luckily, the rare Chirodectes maculatus doesn’t seem to be venomous, based on a 2005 study that described a specimen caught and preserved 25 years ago. Initially, this study classified the box jelly as Chiropsalmus, but it was later moved to the genus Chirodectes following other considerations by the scientific community, according to Vice.

“That something so large and conspicuous in appearance would only be seen twice is pretty surprising,” Dr. Allen Collins, a zoologist and curator for the Smithsonian Institute National Museum of Natural History, told Vice Motherboard. “But that said, a lot of diversity is rare. It tells me that we still have a lot of exploration to undertake.” 

This is a reminder that there’s much about life in the oceans we still haven’t discovered yet. Who knows what we’ll uncover next?

Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Related posts:
  1. Scientists strap controller onto jellyfish, turn it into a super-fast cyborg-jellyfish
  2. Rare Amazon monkey spotted for the first time in 80 years
  3. Super-Superposition: 2,000 atoms in ‘two places at once’
  4. Spectacular Rare ‘Fire Rainbow Cloud’ Spotted in South Carolina
  5. They were once the only exo-planets we knew of. Turns out, they’re extremely rare
Tags: jellyfish

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW