Meet the Bonaire Banded Box Jellyfish.

Check out THIS VIDEO, taken by Vicki Carr in Bonaire, Netherland Antilles in 2001." It shows a strong swimming jellyfish with a long cuboidal bell. From each corner of the bell you can see a striped tentacle connected to a muscular structure called a pedalium, making it recognizable as a member of the class Cubozoa. Here are two more videos: VIDEO 1 , VIDEO 2

Image Credit: Tim Lowry.

Now look at this great still photograph taken by Tim Lowry in St. Lucia in 2007. This photo shows one of the characteristic features of the genus Tamoya, a big stomach!

Nematocysts -- Jellies stinging cells.

Yes jellies sting and they do it to capture prey or to protect themselves. The sting is the result of microscopic structures called nematocysts. Basically, a nematocyst consists of a capsule under intense pressure. Inside the capsule is a long thread that is all wound up. When it fires, the thread shoots out incredibly fast (actually everts at accelerations of up to 5million times the force of gravity) of the nematocyst along with venom.

Nematocyst prepared, photographed, and labeled by Tara Lynn.

Here is what one kind of BBBJ nematocyst (p-eurytele) looks like before it comes in contact with prey, enemy, or unlucky swimmer. See the long pointed lancet? That's the part that pierces the skin and it is inside the shaft, which connects the thread to the capsule.

Nematocyst prepared, photographed, and labeled by Tara Lynn.

Here is what it looks like after it has discharged its poison into its prey or enemy. Notice the empty capsule, the shaft with spines, and the first part of the thread.

Rhopalium of Tamoya sp. being described by Collins, Bentlage, Gillan
and Lynn. This picture taken and labeled by Bastian Bentlage .

The Eyes -- The BBBJ Can See

All cubozoans have remarkable sensory structures called rhopalia. Each rhopalium has six eyes, if you can believe that! Two of them actually have lenses, pupils, and retinas, whereas the remaining four are just light sensitive. The rhopalium is also a balance organ, telling the jellyfish which way is up. And read more about BBBJ, including a sting account, on this blog.

Check out more pictures of the BBBJ here.