A mysterious box jellyfish spotted in Sydney waters may belong to a new species, according to an expert. The sightings near Cronulla's Shark Island have prompted warnings about correct first aid for marine stings outside tropical areas.
Scott Belcher, a Sydney resident, filmed two encounters with the jellyfish during ocean swims. The creature had several tentacles around 30cm long and a head the size of a palm, resembling the deadly Australian box jelly, Chironex fleckeri, also known as the sea wasp.
Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, a jellyfish expert in Hobart, said the specimens were not Chironex fleckeri but a closely related box-shaped jellyfish. She is working with the Australian Museum to characterise the species, which may match an unidentified specimen held since 1984.
Gershwin noted the difficulty in determining toxicity, as the jellyfish has thick tentacles typical of dangerous species but also round gastric saccules found in non-dangerous ones. She advised that for stings outside tropical areas, rinsing with seawater and using hot water or ice is standard treatment, but warned against using hot water directly on suspected box jellyfish stings.
