BOX JELLYFISH
The box jellyfish is one of the most deadly in the world. In this report you will learn about it's food habits, where they are found, their appearance, how they move and their behaviour.
APPEARANCE
Box jellyfish are light blue and transparent. They get their name from their bell that is shaped like a cube. They can grow up to 15 tentacles from every corner of their bell, and can reach up to 10 feet ( 3 meters ) in length. Each of their tentacles have 5,000 stinging cells. These cells are set off by a chemical on the outside of their prey.
This is a Box jellyfish.
HABITAT
Box jellyfish are found everywhere in the world, but are mostly found in the Indo Pacific Region. There are also some found in the waters of New Zealand, the many species that are found in Australia have been known to sting people. Box jellyfish tend to live in the ocean and shallow water, they also live in freshwater inland rivers when laying their eggs. During large storms they move to deeper water to avoid getting hurt.
This is the Indo Pacific Region where most box jellyfish are found.
MOVEMENT
Box jellyfish swim to get around by pushing water in and out of their bell. When they tighten their muscles the water inside of their bell is pushed out, this causes the jellyfish to swim forward, as they relax their muscles their bell is refilled with water. Box jellyfish can go up to 4 knots, they swim slower in the day than at night.
FOOD
Box jellyfish prefer to eat small fish, prawns, plankton, and arrow worms. A box jellyfish stomach is large, this allows them to consume large amounts of food at once. When hunting for food they use their tentacles to either stun or kill their prey.
BEHAVIOUR
Unlike most jellyfish that float wherever the current takes them, box jellyfish actively swim. Box jellyfish rest on the seafloor to make up for their energy spent on swimming. When seas are rough box jellyfish sink down to the seafloor to wait until the water calms down. Box jellyfish unintentionally sting people, their sting can be dangerous to us depending on how many stings we get. Box jellyfish have no brain, it is hard to see how they communicate. If they do communicate it is most likely through chemical signals.
LIFE CYCLE
The box jellyfish start out as eggs or sperm that are released by mature box jellyfish, these then join together and float around until they find a hard surface to stick to. This process of growing takes months before the actual jellyfish is ready. Box jellyfish can live up to a year, they die shortly after releasing their eggs.
This is the life cycle of a box jelly fish.
In conclusion box jellyfish have no brain so we currently don't know how they communicate. They are mostly found in the Indo Pacific Region, they swim to get around and can consume large amounts of food as their stomach is large. They are transparent so you don't usually see them when they come close to you.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://bioexpedition.com/box-jellyfish/
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Chironex_fleckeri/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/box-jellyfish/
