A venomous variety of a giant jellyfish has been found in Western Australia’s north-west coast. The variety has no tentacles and has caught a lot of interest from the scientific and tourism community.
Keesingia gigas is one of two new species of Irukandji jellyfish, while the latter is of the size of a fingernail Keesingia gigas is of the length of an arm. The variety can cause the deadly Irukandji syndrome.
Tourists are told to steer clear of this species as a sting from this creature can cause pain, nausea, vomiting and in extreme cases, stroke and heart failure.
Most jellyfishes attack with their tentacle where they store their venom to attack the prey, like the bioluminescent jellyfish drop its glowing tentacles to distract predators, but the Irukandji does not respond in the same manner.
The Irukandji jellyfish have been spotted in far north as Wales in the northern hemisphere and as far south as Melbourne and Cape Town. Four of these varieties have been found in West Australia.
