Jellyfish Stings

Jellyfish are truly one of the most fascinating creatures of the ocean. Dating back to the Cambrian Period, these ancient organisms have a history of over 500 million years and have evolved from polyps attached to the ocean floor to free-swimming creatures with a gelatinous, umbrella-shaped body, long oral arms, and string-like tentacles. These aquatic organisms are fascinating not only because of their ancient history and otherworldly appearance but also due to their tentacles that give them the ability to deliver painful stings to nearby predators and prey to both protect themselves and hunt for food.

It is common knowledge that jellyfish have the ability to sting other organisms with their tentacles, but how exactly is this sting produced? An abundance of cnidocytes, also known as stinging cells, cover the tentacles and mouth of the jellyfish. Within these cnidocytes are large organelles called nematocysts that consist of an oval-shaped structure with a barbed thread coiled around it. On the surface of the cnidocytes protrudes thin structures called cnidocils, which serves as a sensitive site that triggers the coiled thread to project from the cells and penetrate the target once touched, releasing a deadly venom that has the effect of paralyzing those affected by it. The result of a jellyfish sting may vary in severity, ranging from redness and swelling to muscle spasms and nausea.