Box jellyfish capture their prey—which include and , as well as copepods, , and other —by touching their victims with their long tentacles and stinging them with their nematocysts before swallowing them. The jellyfish also use their nematocysts to protect themselves from predators, which include , barreleyes, and green and . box jellyfish (Tamoya haplonema)The geographic range of the box jellyfish species Tamoya haplonema extends from the North Atlantic Ocean to the South Atlantic Ocean. (more)Box jellyfish in the medusa phase can mate using internal . After males deposit packets inside a female’s bell, fertilized develop as (free-swimming egg-shaped ) either inside or outside the female, depending on the species, before they develop into , and, later, into adult free-swimming medusae. Box jellyfish rarely live past nine months of age, and both males and females become sexually mature at two months. Venom and toxicity box jellyfish (Carukia barnesi)All box jellyfish species engulf their prey after stinging them and discharging their venom. Venomous stings from some species, including Carukia barnesi (which is known colloquially as the Irukandji jellyfish), can result in Irukandji syndrome.(more)A sting by a highly toxic box jellyfish, such as the Australian box jellyfish, will cause a person to feel extreme and may cause , , and . These effects can appear in just five minutes. For other species with weaker , such as the Caribbean box jellyfish (Tripedalia cystophora), the sting may cause days of pain but not death. In some cases, a box jellyfish sting can cause —which presents as cramps, vomiting, agitation, and even —whose symptoms may begin about a half hour after being stung. For all box jellyfish stings, the severity largely depends upon how much comes into contact with the tentacles. The venom of a toxic box jellyfish is made up of several . Scientists studying the venom’s effects on various (such as cells in , , and ) have not reached a clear consensus on how, at the microbiological level, the venom affects its victims. In addition, there is little agreement on how to treat envenomation. Some scientists have found that the venom contains proteins, called porins, that rip cells open, which releases enough to cause heart failure, whereas others note that proteins in the venom may directly attack . Still other researchers have found evidence showing that proteins in the venom interact with to enter and destroy cells, noting that cholesterol-lowering medications may have an effect in reducing the venom’s toxicity., Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like (i.e., cube-shaped) body. [2] Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles., box jellyfish, (class Cubozoa), any cnidarian (or coelenterate) belonging to the class Cubozoa. The class is made up of approximately 50 species, which are known for their semitransparent box-shaped bell and the toxic venom produced by some species..