Box jellyfish
| Box jellyfish Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Chironex | |
| Carybdea murrayana | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Subphylum: | Medusozoa |
| Class: | Cubozoa Werner, 1973 |
| Orders | |
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 Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, and a few others, are extremely painful and often fatal to humans. Some species like the Carybdea murrayana produce a painful sting but are not fatal to humans.