''Keesingia gigas'', the "giant" (Greek ''gigas'') ''Keesingia'', is one of two new species of
Irukandji jellyfish
The Irukandji jellyfish ( ) are any of several similar, extremely venomous species of rare jellyfish. With a very small adult size of about a cubic centimetre (1 cm3), they are both the smallest and one of the most venomous jellyfish in th ...
, the only one of the genus ''Keesingia'' in the
Alatinid family.
Found off the north-west coast of
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, the species is able to deliver an extremely deadly sting which can cause the victim to experience 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 Irukandji ...
which can cause pain, nausea, vomiting and in some rare instances stroke or heart failure.
About the length of a person's arm, the species is unique because Irukandji jellyfish are usually the size of a finger nail. Moreover, none of the specimens found so far have tentacles.
It was named after the marine biologist
John Keesing, who captured one near
Shark Bay
Shark Bay (Malgana: ''Gathaagudu'', "two waters") is a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/world/shark-bay area is located approximately north of Perth, on the ...
in 2013.
This and another new species bring the total number of jellyfish known to cause Irukandji syndrome worldwide up to 16, four them coming from Western Australia.
References
External links
*
Alatinidae
Cnidarians of Australia
Fauna of Western Australia
Animals described in 2014
Monotypic cnidarian genera
Medusozoa genera
{{Cubozoa-stub