Dangerous Encounters

Fire sponge (Tedania ignis) habitat

found in western Atlantic + Caribbean

Fire sponge appearance

bright red/orange

Fire sponge effect

produces burning sensation nd rash if touched from crinitoxins

Cnidarians

Fire coral, box jelly, man o war

Fire coral habitat

Western Atlantic & Caribbean; South Pacific

Appearance of fire coral

typically orange in color w whitish tips

Effect of fire coral

produces burning sensation nd rash if touched from nematocysts; if venom enters open wound, necrosis can occur if improper treatment

Box jelly habitat

Coastal Australia; Indo-Pacific

box jelly appearnece

has eyes, transparent, can swim, can be up to 10 ft long

another name for box jellies

sea wasps

effect of box jellies

one of the most venomous animals- toxin that is injected w nematocysts cause extreme pain nd irritation

-can lead to cardiac arrest

Portuguese Man-O-War is a what

siphonophore

Man-O-War habitat

warm waters in all oceans, can be found in big groups

Appearance of Man-O-War

Have diff polyps:

transparent w bluish gas filled float (pneumatophore), keeps at surface

Tentacles: Posses nematocysts

Man-O-War effect

produces very painful sting to humans although rarely deadly; continues to sting after dead nd washed up on shore

Treating avg jelly sting

apply vinegar

remove tentacles carefully

apply heat

Molluscs

Nudibranchs

Geography cone snail

Blue-ringed octopus

flamboyant cuttlefish

Nudibranchs are also called

sea slugs

Nudibranchs habitat

found in all oceans; Benthic

Nudibranch appearance

gastropods w no shell, short/long, can be very brightly colored

nudibranch effects

some make their own toxin

others ingest nematocysts of their prey nd use for their own protection

Although most nudibranchs are harmless to humans, which species could produce a rxn in humans bc it feeds on the Man-O-War?

Glaucus atlanticus

Where does geography cone snail reside?

Indo-Pacific ocean

g. cone snail appearance

4-6 inches long; Brown nd white patterned shell

g. cone nail effect

modified radula into harpoon like structure that injects extremely toxic venom w no anti-venom

venom paralyzes NS toxin studied as a painkiller

Blue-ringed octopus habitat

Indo-Pacific Ocean coral reefs nd tide pools

Bue-ringed octopus appearance

yellow skin w blue nd black rings; 5-8 inches

Blue ring octo. effect

tetrodotoxin, produced by bacteria in mouth; no antivenom

causes respiratory nd cardiac rest… will paralyze first

where are the flamboyant cuttlefish located

In the Indo-Pacific

cuttlefish appearance

undulating vibrant yellow, maroon, brown, red and white along body

cuttlefish effect

possesses similar toxin as blue-ringed octopus

Echinoderm: Flower urchin habitat

indo-pacific ocean

appearance of flower urchin

flower like pedicellariae; pinkish to white

effect of the Flower Urchin

toxin injected by pedicellariae; can cause pain nd paralysis

no documented fatalities