The sea wasp is the most poisonous jellyfish in the world. What is the most poisonous jellyfish in the world?

The sea wasp is descended from the cnidarian class of Box jellyfish. This animal is considered quite rare and the most dangerous jellyfish in the world for humans. There are many types of jellyfish in the waters of the oceans and seas. But, by rights, the most poisonous is the sea wasp.

The jellyfish got its name because it stings exactly like an ordinary wasp, only the poison is sea ​​beast much stronger. If it gets into a living organism, then there is practically no chance of salvation. If a diver inadvertently collides with a school of sea jellyfish, he may no longer come ashore.

What is a sea wasp?

In the vastness of the ocean you can find a large number of the most dangerous and diverse animals that have not been fully studied. One of them is the sea wasp. It belongs to the class of box jellyfish. The peculiarity of this predator is that it is almost impossible to see. A sea jellyfish sneaks up unnoticed and stings the creature it comes across. The people called this beast “invisible death.”

Those who saw sea ​​jellyfish, did not speak of this creature as a monster. Compared to their cousins, these jellyfish are relatively small in size. In their shape, they resemble a cube. Average, body diameter does not exceed 5 centimeters. There are individuals the dome of which reaches 25 centimeters. But such a specimen can be found extremely rarely.

The weapon of the most poisonous jellyfish in the world is its tentacles. Average length the tentacles are one and a half meters long. Their maximum amount can reach 60 pieces. If a sea wasp clasps its victim with all its limbs, then death cannot be avoided. With the help of special glands in each limb, a very strong poison is produced. At the sea wasp the venom is many times stronger than that of a snake.

Another feature of this sea ​​creature, which everyone still cannot solve world scientists, is why the most poisonous jellyfish needs eyes if it does not have a brain. Can she see?

Based on research results, it is known that this sea animal actually has there are eyes. There are as many as twenty-four of them. The visual organs are divided into 4 groups. Each group has 6 eyes.

Sea wasp jellyfish habitat

Most people believe that jellyfish can live in absolutely any body of water. But this statement is erroneous. The only habitat of the sea wasp is Australia. Marine inhabitants prefer to choose the northern shores as their habitat, where the waters are relatively shallow and contain a lot of corals.

Lifestyle of the most poisonous jellyfish

It's no secret that the most dangerous jellyfish in the world is a very active and aggressive hunter. The sea wasp hunts while still. As soon as the victim touches its invisible limbs, a powerful stream of poison immediately penetrates the prey. It is worth noting that the jellyfish attacks its prey several times. Thus, the victim dies much faster. The venom of this predator is considered very strong. It affects the nervous system and affects the heart and skin.

Its diet includes small fish and crabs. Having stung the prey, the jellyfish uses its tentacles to pull it towards its cone, where the victim is calmly digested.

The main place for obtaining food is in coastal zones. When not hunting, predators stay away from the shore. It often happens that as a result strong storm, these animals are washed ashore, where there is a large concentration of people.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs in the sea wasp, as in all representatives of this family. First of all, eggs are laid, from which small larvae emerge. Immediately after their appearance, they stick to the bottom, forming a single polyp. Polyps reproduce by budding.

After the small jellyfish breaks away from the polyp, it is ready for independent life and immediately goes in search of food. Because the sea beast that was born left the polyp, it withers and dies suddenly.

Does a sea wasp attack humans?

Poisonous jellyfish pose a huge danger to humanity. However, she uses only what she can eat as her main hunting object. Humans are not included in the sea wasp's food list. Having met a person, the jellyfish tries to swim away. It stings a person only if a collision is inevitable. Divers mainly encounter this bite.

After the animal stings several times, the body receives a huge amount of poison.

The effect of poison on the body manifests itself in several stages:

• redness of the stung area of ​​skin;
• the burn site begins to swell;
• dizziness;
• high fever;
• cardiac arrest is possible.

Death can occur instantly or after two days. It all depends on how much poison the jellyfish injected into the body.

This predator swims very quickly. Due to its speed poisonous jellyfish Can maneuver perfectly between corals. This predator can only be detected at shallow depths. Sea wasps usually lead night image life. During the day they hide at the bottom, but as soon as the sun begins to set, they float to the surface.

Reminder for tourists

Going on vacation to a place where there is high risk encounters with these predators, tourists should follow some tips:

1. It is worth knowing that when meeting a jellyfish, it must be carefully circumvented. Its tentacles are capable of extending over quite a long distance.
2. By diving to greater depths, it is better refrain from touching anything with your hands.
3. It is not recommended to go into the water after a storm. There is a high probability of contact with fragments of a tentacle.

If, after all, a meeting with an aquatic inhabitant takes place, then you should:

• thoroughly rinse the bite area big amount salt water;
• treat the wound with vinegar or strong alcoholic drink;
• very carefully remove the remaining tentacles from the wound.

After the completed procedures, it is necessary to urgently Seek help from qualified medical personnel.

Evgeniy Marushevsky

freelancer, constantly traveling around the world

It's ridiculous to turn down an exotic vacation after learning that there will be wasps. But if we're talking about about the sea wasp, then quickly change your tickets to another direction!

We are not talking about an annoying striped insect or another flying creature similar to it that lives near sea ​​shores. A wasp “swimming” in sea waters (sea wasp) is the most poisonous jellyfish in the world. That's what people called this dangerous creature, which has its own official name - Chironex fleckeri. It belongs to the class of box jellyfish, a species of marine cnidarians. Its distribution areas are considered to be the waters off the coast of Northern Australia and Indonesia.

In general, these inhabitants of the seas and oceans are 95% water. They lack a brain, but at the same time they have effective weapon. Most "jellyfish" have stinging cells that can release a deadly sting. The interesting thing is that before this, the pressure inside them reaches 136 atmospheres! After this, the cell cracks and the toxin flies out at a speed that far exceeds the flight of a bullet. This phenomenon is considered one of the fastest movements in nature.

The sea box (its second “alias”) has earned its fame for its ability to inflict painful and fatal burns: the long tentacles of the sea creature are covered with nematocytes - stinging cells containing poison. A translucent creature of “innocent blueness” is capable of destroying sixty people in three minutes! Observations over the last hundred years report a similar number of human deaths from rendezvous with sea wasps.

In its "jellyfish society", Chironex fleckeri is considered one of the largest. Its dome is the size of a basketball, and its translucent blue body makes it inconspicuous in the water column. This adds danger to anyone who wants to splash around in the sea.

It has four bundles of tentacles, fifteen in each. When this dangerous beauty swims, they contract and are no more than 15 centimeters in length. But when it’s time to hunt, the tentacles become thinner and grow up to three meters!

Like other representatives of the box jellyfish class, the box jellyfish has light-sensitive devices that are equipped with two dozen eyes (our heroine has 24). To this day, it is still not known whether these “eyes” are capable of tracking an object and forming images, because jellyfish completely lack a central nervous system. Scientists have differing opinions on this matter.

The sea wasp's menu consists of small fish and shrimp. But the poisonous creature itself can go for lunch as the main course. sea ​​turtles- the only animals that are absolutely not vulnerable to the venom of the blue jellyfish, and it is part of their diet.

The most terrible burns of Chironex fleckeri can cause instant death, since its poison instantly affects the nervous system and skin. The pain that appears immediately after contact with its tentacles is so strong and painful that it can lead to death from painful shock. But for a burn to cause trouble of this nature, the amount of poison must be truly impressive. This is considered contact with three meters of tentacles of a box jellyfish.

The poison works quickly! History knows of cases of death from a sea wasp burn that occurred in no more than four minutes. Note that this is much faster than the tragic consequences after being bitten by a snake or a poisonous insect.

Despite the deplorable picture, there is an antidote to this jellyfish. But, unfortunately, it is often difficult to help a victim who is far away. Such a swimmer does not have time to swim to the shore or boat and dies of a heart attack. But if you managed to help pull the victim out of the water, then the immediate remedy is vinegar, which can neutralize the nematocysts that did not have time to react. It is strictly forbidden to rub the bite site or pour water or other liquids on it, which will trigger the release of toxic substances.

If dangerous meeting occurred, then it is important to remove the tentacles that wrap around his body from the victim. This should be done carefully, using rubber gloves or tweezers. It may surprise you, but even remote tentacles pose a serious danger to humans. And that's not it! Their dried fragments are restored with the slightest moisture. It is known that the usual table vinegar is able to slightly neutralize the effect of “jellyfish” poison.

In the practice of treating Australian snake bites, a simple technique is used to prevent the dangerous distribution of venom throughout the vessels: rigid fixation of the affected limb with a bandage. The same method cannot be used in cases of burns from box jellyfish, since bandaging only helps the nematocysts. It is very important to introduce a special serum on time.

Despite the fact that warning signs are installed in places where poisonous jellyfish may appear, “brave” tourists often ignore such signs. The authorities have thought of an opportunity to let vacationers splash in sea water: perimeter nets have been installed on public beaches.

The five most poisonous jellyfish in the world

The Miroscope tries to “open the eyes” of those inexperienced tourists who believe that the water is the best scary beast- shark. The translucent cute jellyfish, as you have already found out, can be much more dangerous if you let your guard down.

So, you are familiar with the sea wasp (aka the boll wasp). Fortunately, it’s in absentia :) But she’s not the only one on the list that travel lovers need to know. Let's continue our acquaintance!

Number two - irukandji

Her abode is water areas Pacific Ocean in the area of ​​Australia. However, the sharp warming on our planet allowed scientists to make a disappointing forecast: the jellyfish appeared in the World Ocean and its spread there continues.

A small “umbrella” no more than 25 mm in diameter has four meter-long tentacles dotted with stinging cells. If the box jellyfish shoots out its poison throughout the entire cell, then the irukandji sprays it only with the tip of its tentacle. Some bathers do not even pay attention to the mini-burn, but the poison begins to act slowly, gradually intensifying. Within an hour the person becomes ill: terrible pains in the body, including internal organs, headache. Nausea appears, blood pressure rises, and pulmonary edema begins. In rare cases, death may occur.

How to help the victim? Immediately treating the burn site with vinegar will help somewhat relieve the effect of the poison. In a medical institution, the patient’s life is saved by supporting him with special medications until the poison leaves the body on its own. Unfortunately, no antidote has been found for Irukandji.

It must be remembered that the nets that help prevent sea wasp visits on beaches will not protect you from small irukandji at all.

Number three is physalia. She is also “The Portuguese Man of War”

Despite the fact that this type of jellyfish prefers tropical waters, its accumulations are sometimes observed off the coast of France and Great Britain. During real invasions of physalia, many Spanish and Italian beaches are closed. The beaches of Thailand also suffer from “ships”.

This strange creature(in fact, it does not belong to the jellyfish) - a real colony of amazing organisms of four polyps: a gas bubble that rises above the surface of the water, and others hiding under the water and responsible for different purposes. The length of the defensive tentacles can reach 50 meters!

The venom of the tentacles rarely causes death, but the pain caused by its contact with the skin is excruciating. In addition, other symptoms arise: body temperature rises, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe and stay afloat. Traces remain on the skin - bright stripes-burns that will remain for life in the form of scars. Fesalia, which washed ashore sea ​​wave, remains dangerous for a long time.

While the sea wasp is very easy to miss in the water, the “boat” is clearly visible on the surface due to its bright color. At night, colonies of these marine organisms are capable of creating a beautiful glow.

Number "four" - cross jellyfish

Yours unusual name This jellyfish received a clear cross located on its body. It is formed by internal organs, which are clearly visible through its colorless umbrella. The largest specimens of the cross do not reach more than four centimeters in diameter (the average size is 25−30 mm). Along the edges of the transparent dome there are from six to nine dozen thin tentacles. When expanded, their thickness exceeds the body thickness of the jellyfish by five to seven times. Jellyfish are often called “clinging” jellyfish because their tentacles are covered with suckers.

The beauty can be found in the eastern waters of the Pacific and Atlantic. It began to be observed more and more often in Primorye. She prefers sea thickets, where the water is perfectly heated and is not crystal clear.

Unwanted contact with a cross will not lead to death, but will be remembered for a long time by painful sensations. The surprising thing is that repeated burns can already lead to death.

If a swimmer is burned, they should immediately get out of the water and seek help from a doctor. Within half an hour (and sometimes even earlier) after meeting the tentacles of the cross jellyfish, symptoms appear: limbs go numb, pain seizes the lower back, breathing becomes difficult, nausea and constantly want to drink. The poison can continue its effect for up to 4 days until it leaves the body.

Number “five” - giant cyanea (hairy cyanea, “lion’s mane”)

Meet the largest jellyfish: the diameter of its dome exceeds two meters and the length of the tentacles is up to thirty-seven meters!

The giant's habitat is cold or moderately cold waters (northern seas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Arctic seas). You can also meet it off the Australian coast. She is not comfortable in warm waters and even when she gets there, she is not able to grow more than 50 centimeters.

Her appearance depends on the size. Thus, small specimens of these jellyfish are yellow-brown or orange in color. More impressive cyanens have inclusions of brown, scarlet and purple colors.

Why is her name " lion's mane"? Look at the photo. Numerous tentacles resemble the tangled mane of the king of beasts. But stinging cells are unknown to this predator, which cannot be said about its marine “double”.

Cyanea tentacles contain a strong poison, but not fatal to humans (only one death has been recorded in the world). Contact with jellyfish is dangerous due to an allergic reaction, which is accompanied by a painful rash on the body.

Of course, you didn't intend to swim in the company of jellyfish. But, as they say, God protects those who are careful!

Imagine that animals that have no brain and are 95% water can easily kill a person. Yes, it really is as scary as it sounds. The fact is that most of them have special nematocyst cells that release toxins faster than the bullet itself powerful pistol in the world. Therefore, we want to tell you about the most dangerous jellyfish ah in the world known to man.

1. Sea nettle (Chrysaora). This jellyfish is common in North America. Many of these jellyfish form into a huge flower. Each of them has 24 tentacles up to two meters long. They contain the main weapon of sea nettles - stinging cells.

2. Hairy cyanea (Cyanea capillata) can reach up to 2.5 meters in diameter. The tentacles of this animal stretch for 30 meters or more. The sea monster itself can weigh about 250 kilograms! The hairy cyanea likes to gather in large flocks, and its bite can easily kill a person.

3. Portuguese Man of War (Physalia physalis)- this is not a jellyfish, but a colony of organisms that are inside the bubble. The Portuguese man-of-war is found in all the world's oceans, and its bite is very painful. The pain can even last up to several days, and after this the victim will experience fever, disturbances in the functioning of the heart and lungs, and shock.

4. Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi) very small, but its poison is incredibly dangerous for humans. Among all the animals that live on Earth, its poison is the most powerful. The bite itself does not cause excruciating pain to a person, but its consequences are terrifying. The victim will experience pain in the back and kidneys, burning of the skin, vomiting, tachycardia and shock.

5. Sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri)- the most poisonous jellyfish in Australia. This is one of the deadliest creatures on the planet. Every year, such jellyfish kill more than 100 people worldwide. Each of the 15 ten-meter tentacles is covered with billions of stinging cells. Scientists say that one such animal can kill 60 people at the same time.

6. Cross jellyfish (Gonionemus vertens). This creature lives in the waters of the Pacific Ocean from China to California. It is easy to recognize, since the brown-red cross located inside is clearly visible through the transparent body. The sting of this jellyfish will not necessarily result in death, but is very painful. And if you are stung again by a cross jellyfish, the consequences can be fatal.

7. Nomura jellyfish (Nemopilema nomurai)- this is one of the most large jellyfish in the world. It can reach several meters in diameter. Because of its long yellow tentacles and hairs, it is also called lion's mane. They mainly sting fishermen who are in the open ocean.

8. Cornermouth Jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo) found in the Azov and Black Seas. Their bite can cause not only burning and redness of the skin. The bite of the cornet jellyfish is dangerous due to severe poisoning and failure of some internal organs.

9. Flower cap jellyfish (Olindias formosa)- This is a very beautiful, but not harmless creature. It is small, and its tentacles do not exceed seven centimeters. A person should absolutely not touch it, since touching the tentacles can lead to severe burns. And the toxins that are released as a result of a bite can cause poisoning, shock and respiratory arrest.

First aid for a jellyfish sting. If you feel that you have been bitten by a jellyfish, do not panic, but quickly get out of the water. If a jellyfish is “stuck” to you, try to unhook it, but not with your bare hands. Wash the burn area with vinegar or lemon juice, and consult a doctor.

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Are you also looking forward to a vacation to spend it at sea? No matter how much we love to carelessly splash in its waves, we should not forget that danger may be hidden in them. Namely, jellyfish - often cute, but mercilessly stinging. And although they consist almost entirely of water, the stinging cells of many of them contain poison, which is injected into the victim faster than a bullet flies. So it’s time to find out which jellyfish you shouldn’t approach even for the sake of beautiful picture and what to do if you do get stung.

We are in website selected 10 dangerous jellyfish, whose poison can provoke serious allergic reaction and can even be dangerous to health and life. Hopefully you won't have to encounter any of these jellyfish. But caution won't hurt.

sea ​​wasp (Chironex fleckeri)

This jellyfish is more agile than its relatives and more dangerous: while ordinary jellyfish react to light and swim with the flow, this one uses vision and decides where to swim. Its tentacles can reach 1.5 m in length, and the supply of poison from one sea wasp is enough to kill 50 people.

Where it occurs: tropical seas of Australia and Oceania.

sea ​​nettle (Chrysaora)

Typically, an individual reaches 30 cm in diameter, and its 24 tentacles can be up to 2 m long. The sting of sea nettle is extremely painful and leaves a rash and It's a dull pain, but at least these jellyfish are not life threatening.

Where it occurs: coast North America, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Irukandji (Carukia barnesi)

The jellyfish itself reaches only 15-20 mm in diameter, but its tentacles can be up to 35 cm long. Don’t let its size and cuteness fool you: this is one of the most dangerous and poisonous jellyfish in the world, the consequences of contact with it even received a special name - Irukandji syndrome. A small amount of poison is enough to cause severe pain in the different parts body, vomiting, spasms, burning skin, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure and acute heart failure.

Where it occurs: coasts of Australia and Oceania.

Lion's mane (Cyanea capillata)

A real giant jellyfish: the diameter of the dome can reach 2.5 m, and the tentacles can be 30 m in length. It’s not for nothing that it was nicknamed the lion’s mane for its beauty, but the tentacles of this sea creature leave a very painful burn, and the toxins in the poison can cause allergies in humans or kill small fish.

Where it occurs: in all northern seas Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Physalia (Physalia physalis)

The Portuguese man-of-war, also known as physalia, is not even a jellyfish, but a whole colony of polypoid and medusoid individuals. Under a small beautiful bubble are hidden very long “tentacles” - in fact, these are polyps covered with stinging cells with deadly dangerous poison. Their length can reach 10 m. Physalia move in groups of up to 100 colonies, and sometimes resorts have to close entire beaches because of them.

Where it occurs: tropical seas, but often appears in temperate seas.

Cornerots (Stomolophus meleagris)

The spherical dome of this jellyfish is somewhat reminiscent of a cannonball. In some countries, such as China, cornroots are even considered edible (after appropriate processing, of course). However, it should be remembered that the venom of this jellyfish contains toxins that can cause heart problems in people.

Where it occurs: midwest Atlantic Ocean, east-central and north-west Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean, Azov, Black and Red Seas.

Crosses (Gonionemus vertens)

The bell of this small jellyfish reaches only 80 mm, and a red-brown cross is visible on its body. She has a lot of tentacles that can stretch greatly. The crosses sting very painfully, but, fortunately, their “bites” are not fatal.

Where it occurs: coastal waters of China and California.

Jellyfish Alatinaalata

The largest specimens of this jellyfish are found in the Pacific Ocean and reach 30 cm in length. Hawaiian individuals are smaller - up to 15 cm in length. These jellyfish also cause the deadly Irukandji syndrome, and the transparent dome makes them even more invisible in the water.

Where it occurs: between the Pacific, Atlantic and possibly Indian Oceans, as well as on the coast of Pakistan.

Nomura (Nemopilema nomurai)

This is one of the largest jellyfish in the world: its diameter reaches 2 m, and it can weigh about 200 kg. Nomura are dangerous not only because they are poisonous, but they also damage fishing equipment. There is a known case when a fishing boat was sunk because of them: jellyfish clogged the nets, and the crew could not cope with them.

Where it occurs: Far Eastern seas of China, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Pelagia nocturnal (Pelagia noctiluca)

The jellyfish can emit light in short bursts and its colors range from pink and purple to gold. They are often washed up on beaches by waves, as they live near the shore. Although jellyfish are small (6-12 cm in dome diameter), they sting painfully, and their venom causes burning, inflammation, an allergic rash and leaves blisters.

Where it occurs: Mediterranean and Red Seas, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

A long-awaited vacation at sea can sometimes turn into an unpleasant memory, the reason for which is an encounter with a jellyfish.

The sea creature, consisting of 98% liquid, is difficult to see in water, so contact with it often occurs through negligence and can have quite disastrous consequences for humans. Which jellyfish are poisonous?

Beware: sea wasp!

A meeting with an inmate is especially dangerous Indian Ocean- jellyfish Chironex fleckeri (or Small animal lives in the waters of the northern coast of Australia and the western coast of Thailand; inhabits quiet coves of sandy beaches and is most active in summer months. Every year, the most poisonous jellyfish - the sea wasp - kills about 20 people.

The body of the jellyfish is almost transparent, with a slight bluish tint, which is why the inconspicuous creature is quite difficult to see in the water. The diameter of the dome is 30-40 cm, thin tentacles are covered with stinging cells with highly toxic poison and are located in 4 bundles of 15 pieces. In a calm state, their length is 10-20 cm, but when the sea wasp goes hunting, it increases to 3 meters. The poisonous jellyfish does not attack its victim first; frozen in one place, she waits for prey to swim by and mercilessly stings it several times.

Consequences of an encounter with a sea wasp

The burn of an inhabitant of the aquatic depths, in addition to paralysis of breathing and an instantly swollen, strongly burning lesion, paralyzes the work of the heart and nervous systems. Under the influence of painful shock or a heart attack, the victim may simply not swim to shore. In the best case, a person will experience pain for several days, and slowly healing ulcers will remain at the burn site, which subsequently turn into scars. It is believed that the patient’s condition can be temporarily alleviated by applying vinegar to the injured area. It is first necessary to get rid of the remnants of the tentacles with great care, remembering their danger and ability to recover when they get into humid environment. Then cardiopulmonary and respiratory resuscitation should be applied to the victim. If the antidote - a specific therapeutic serum - is not administered in a timely manner, death can occur within 5 minutes.

Irukandji - the danger of Pacific waters

The Pacific Ocean is home to a variety of poisonous jellyfish, among which they pose a great danger to humans. Outwardly, it resembles a small (approximately 15-25 mm in diameter) transparent white bell; thin tentacles are covered with stinging cells that shoot the victim not with a full portion of poison, but with a dosed amount of it. That is why a light bite poisons the victim’s body gradually and is not taken seriously by bathers.

The main symptoms of a burn occur 30-60 minutes after the injury and are accompanied by a chain of paralytic effects: profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure, pulmonary edema, as well as severe pain in the head, abdomen, pelvis, and back. In some cases it is likely fatal outcome. As an immediate measure, treat the affected area with vinegar. Unfortunately, no rescue serum has been invented against such a Pacific jellyfish; the stung person undergoes a set of measures to maintain vital functions until the poison is completely released naturally.

About floating colonies of physalia

Poisonous jellyfish, photos of which demonstrate the deceptive beauty of these sea creatures, live in tropical waters near the coasts of Spain, Italy, Thailand, Hawaii.

Residents and guests of these places should beware of physalia - floating colonies of marine organisms, very similar to jellyfish and called “Portuguese man-of-war”. The colony consists of several polyps, one of which is similar to balloon gas bubble.

Rising above the water, it allows the colony to easily stay afloat. The remaining parts are 20-meter-long tentacles with poisonous stinging cells at the ends. Their functions include obtaining food and dragging the victim to the center of the colony, where the latter is “processed” by other polyps. When a toxic substance comes into contact with human skin, it causes severe pain, increased body temperature, the appearance of blisters, increased sweating, damage to the nervous and circulatory systems, general malaise.

Stung by a jellyfish: what to do?

When contacting a marine organism, it is imperative to remove any remaining tentacles from the skin and moisten the affected area with a large amount of sea ​​water. Fresh water cannot be used: this action releases the residue from the surviving stinging cells. According to a number of experts, vinegar, which helps with contact with other jellyfish, may be useless in this case. Meetings with " Portuguese ship» is much easier to avoid than the sea wasp due to the bright coloring of its dome. Besides marine organisms hold on in large groups(more than a thousand individuals) and rarely approach the coast.

Poisonous jellyfish of the world: cross

The tiny cross jellyfish poses a huge danger to humans. hallmark which is a brown-red cross inside a transparent yellowish-green dome, the diameter of which varies from 2.5 to 4.0 cm. There are about 60 tentacles, thickened at the ends due to the accumulation of stinging cells; they can vary in size and reach half a meter when extended.

The poisonous cross jellyfish lives in depths of the sea ah, mainly off the coast of Korea, Japan, China, and California. During the spawning period, it swims en masse to shallow waters, where it poses a huge danger to swimmers. Due to the presence of special suckers on the tentacles, the cross is nicknamed the “clinging jellyfish”; As soon as you touch at least one tentacle, the jellyfish rushes in the direction of the victim and tries to cling to it completely. The result of human contact with an inhabitant of the deep sea is a painful burn on the body, redness of the skin at the site of injury and the appearance of blisters. These signs are accompanied by pain in the lumbar region, difficulty breathing, numbness of the limbs, nausea and severe thirst. The effect of the toxic substance lasts for 3-4 days.

Poisonous cyanea jellyfish

The poison of giant cyanide, the most large jellyfish in the world: the diameter of its dome reaches 2.5 meters, and the length of the tentacles is 37 meters. Cyanea hairy (also called sea ​​creature) prefers cold and moderately cold waters, found in the northern seas of the Pacific and Atlantic, off the coast of Australia, in open waters Arctic seas.

IN warm water doesn't take root. The color of cyanea depends on its size: large individuals are characterized by brown, red and purple shades; small specimens are yellow-brown and orange. The numerous tentacles of the animal, also called the “lion’s mane” for its similarity with the appearance of a lion, contain strong poison. Its action can cause a painful rash and burning sensation, accompanied by allergic manifestations.

Reminder for tourists

When going on vacation to places where encountering a jellyfish is highly likely, it is recommended to follow the tips below:

• avoid meeting a jellyfish, remembering that its tentacles can extend over considerable distances;
• during an underwater dive better with your hands do not touch anything;
• do not go into the water after a storm to avoid contact with fragments of tentacles.

If a poisonous jellyfish does get on your way, it is recommended:

• immediately rinse the wound with salt water;
• treat the affected area with vinegar, alcohol or ammonia;
• carefully remove the remnants of the tentacles - this can be done with a mixture of sand and sea water, which must be applied to the affected area, and then carefully scraped off with a handy object (the back of a knife, a plastic card, etc.; this action is not recommended to be performed with bare hands).

You should definitely seek professional medical help, especially if you experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, or shortness of breath.