Biology and Ecology of Irukandji Jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa)

Gershwin, Lisa‐Ann; Richardson, Anthony J.; Winkel, Kenneth D.; Fenner, Peter J.; Lippmann, John; Hore, R; Ávila-Soria, Griselda; Brewer, D.T.; Kloser, Rudy; Steven, Andy; Condie, Scott A.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-408096-6.00001-8

Cited by 37 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 123 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…wind changes are not the trigger). Indeed, half-grown specimens and mature adults in the same samples indicate that metamorphosis is likely to be continuous [4]. While the occurrence of stings at offshore reefs suggests a broad distribution across the continental shelf, juveniles with remnant umbilical cords in samples suggest that there are also breeding grounds close to shore.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…This hypothesis relies on a number of assumptions relating to the life cycle of Irukandji, which is poorly known. For example, beyond the shallow near shore zone, there are no direct observations of their distribution geographically or through the water column [4]. A weeklong metamorphosis suggests that they are already metamorphosed prior to weakening of the trade winds (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our model assumes that medusae would be actively staying below the turbulent zone until the waters become more favourable for these delicate hunters [4]. This trigger cannot occur in the polyp phase because of the delay associated with metamorphosis (ca 7 days).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While most stings remain undiagnosed, particularly in the developing world [10][11][12], reported hospitalizations in Australia are typically 50-100 per year. The financial impact on tourism and the practical safety implications for marine-based industries, such as fisheries and commercial diving, can be enormous [4,14]. For example, the costs of cancelled tourism bookings following two fatalities on the Great Barrier Reef in 2002 have been estimated to be in excess of $US65M [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Dangerous jellyfish blooms are predictable

Gershwin

Condie

Mansbridge

et al. 2014

J. R. Soc. Interface.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The potentially fatal Irukandji syndrome is relatively common in tropical waters throughout the world. It is caused by the sting of the Irukandji jellyfish, a family of box jellyfish that are almost impossible to detect in the water owing to their small size and transparency. Using collated medical records of stings and local weather conditions, we show that the presence of Irukandji blooms in coastal waters can be forecast on the basis of wind conditions. On the Great Barrier Reef, blooms largely coincide with relaxation of the prevailing southeasterly trade winds, with average conditions corresponding to near zero alongshore wind on the day prior to the sting. These conditions are consistent with hypotheses long held by local communities and provide a basis for designing management interventions that have the potential to eliminate the majority of stings.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Dangerous jellyfish blooms are predictable

Gershwin

Condie

Mansbridge

et al. 2014

J. R. Soc. Interface.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Irukandji is the common name for numerous types of cubozoan jellies, and for the systemic illness caused by their stings (Williamson et al 1996;Gershwin et al 2013). The initial sting is typically mild, but after a delay of some 5-40 minutes, the syndrome onsets with a number of debilitating symptoms including severe lower back pain, nausea and vomiting, diffi culty breathing, cramps and spasms, a feeling of impending doom; some cases also include life threatening hypertension.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%