Chironex Fleckeri Facts, Size, Lifecycle, Diet

Chironex fleckeri is a box jellyfish. A doctor named Hugo Flecker suggested the name chironex fleckeri for this species of box jellyfish. He was a radiologist and a toxicologist in North Queensland. The name Chironex fleckeri is the combination of greek and Latin words. Cheiro is a Greek word which means “hand” and nex is a Latin word which means “murderer”. Fleckeri is named after the doctor Chironex fleckeri. The other name of this species is sea wasp. It is an extremely venomous species. It is commonly found in the coastal waters from New Guinea to Malaysia and northern Australia.


    Chironex Fleckeri Facts


    Among cubozoans, chironex fleckeri is the largest box jellyfish. Their bell is almost the size of a basketball. On each side of the four corners of their bell, there is a cluster of tentacles. Each cluster consists of 15 tentacles. There are faint markings on the pale bluebell. These markings can be seen from different angles. Their bell is weirdly similar to a human skull or head. It is a transparent creature, so it is hard to see them in water. They can be proved dangerous for swimmers. During swimming, their tentacles contract. Due to contraction, the size of tentacles shrinks to 15 cm in length and 5mm in diameter.

    Chironex Fleckeri Facts, Size, Lifecycle, Diet

    Chironex Fleckeri Size


    The size of a chironex fleckeri is similar to the size of a human head or skull. The average length of their tentacles is about 3 meters. The huge size of chironex fleckeri is big enough to kill a human. There are extremely venomous creatures. They can kill a human within three minutes. An adult (fully grown) chironex fleckeri may reach up to 20 cm (8 inches) in size. The size of each box side is almost 30 cm (20 inches) in diameter. Their tentacles may grow maximum up to 3 meters (10 feet) in length. The average size of a Chironex fleckeri can reach up to 2 kg (4 and a half pounds).

    Chironex Fleckeri Life cycle


    The reproduction in chironex fleckeri can occur through meiosis (sexual relationship) or mitosis (asexual relationship). After maturity, a chironex fleckeri box jellyfish start traveling to the nearby freshwater river looking for a mate. Once the mate is found, the female partner releases her eggs and the male partner releases his sperms in the water. These fishes may die and cannot participate in the upbringing of their descendants if they spawn. The haploid forms of egg and sperm in their life cycle are called gametes. A zygote is formed when sperm is fused with an egg. Due to mitosis, this zygote converts into planulae. Planulae transform into polyps of two inches in size.

    Chironex Fleckeri Diet


    On each of the four sides of the chironex fleckeri bell, there is a cluster of 30 tentacles. These tentacles hang down from their body. Their tentacles contain stinging cells on their tentacles. These stinging cells are called cnidocytes. These stinging cells help hunt the prey. The sea wasp (chironex fleckeri) use these cnidocytes to hold their prey firmly. They eat small fishes and pelagic invertebrates. They also like to eat prawns and swimming carbs. The small turtles’ whose outer skin is impenetrable to their cnidocytes are their common predators. Because they cannot fight them due to their thick skin.

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