Carukiidae is a family of
box jellyfish
Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidaria
Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in Fresh water, freshwater and Marine habitats, marine environments, predominantly the latt ...
within the
Cubozoa
Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like (i.e. cube-shaped) body. Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles. Stings from some species, including '' ...
class. Carukiidae can be easily classified by their lack of cirri clumps inside the cubozoan stomach, as well as the size and the placement of their
nematocysts.
Carukiidae use nematocysts as a defense mechanism; they releases a venom from the tips of their
nematocysts, producing the
Irukandji syndrome
Irukandji syndrome is a condition that results from envenomation by certain box jellyfish. In rare instances the sting may result in cardiac arrest and death. The most common jellyfish involved is the '' Carukia barnesi'', a species of Irukandj ...
. Even though positions of spines on the shaft of the Carukiidae cause illness, there are areas on the body that do not. The
rhopalial niche openings, which discern light, do not incur any illness. The Carukiidae also have non-venomous rhopaliar horns, which are imperceptive in function and located above the rhopalial niches.
Irukandji syndrome triggered by Carukiidae requires immediate medical attention. In the event that it goes untreated in humans, cardiac arrest is a potentially deadly consequence.
Classification
* ''
Carukia''
** ''
Carukia barnesi''
(Southcott, 1967)
** ''
Carukia shinju''
(Gershwin, 2005)
* ''Gerongia''
** ''
Gerongia rifkinae''
(Gershwin & Alderslade, 2005)
* ''
Malo
Mal, which in Spanish means ''bad or evil'', may also refer to:
Places
*Malo, Italy, a town
* Malo Island, formerly known as St. Bartholomew, Vanuatu
* Malo (Solomon Islands), an island
*Malo, Washington, Ferry County, Washington, United States
* ...
''
** ''
Malo kingi
''Malo kingi'' or the common kingslayer is a species of Irukandji jellyfish. It was first described to science in 2007, and is one of four species in the genus '' Malo''.Gershwin, L. (2007)''Malo kingi'': A new species of Irukandji jellyfish (Cnid ...
''
( Gershwin, 2007)
** ''
Malo maxima''
(Gershwin, 2005)[
** '' Malo filipina'' (Bentlage & Lewis, 2012)]
References
*
Carybdeida
Cnidarian families
{{Cubozoa-stub