| Morbakka virulenta | |
|---|---|
| |
| Morbakka virulenta Seto, Japan | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Cnidaria |
| Class: | Cubozoa |
| Order: | Carybdeida |
| Family: | Carukiidae |
| Genus: | Morbakka |
| Species: | M. virulenta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Morbakka virulenta Kishinouye, 1910
| |
Morbakka virulenta is a species of box jellyfish that is found in waters near the islands of Japan. The species was originally described in the genus Tamoya by Kamakichi Kishinouye in 1910. However, unlike other species of that genus, this jellyfish did not have the vertical gastric phacellae (gastric filaments used for digestion) which protect the inside of the bell with nematocyst warts. As a result, it was reclassified to the genus Morbakka due to its distinctively shaped rhopaliar horns which resemble rabbit ears. Because of its painful stings, M. virulenta has been nicknamed Hikurage, which is “fire jellyfish” in Japanese.[1][2]
- ^ Bentlage, Bastian; Lewis, Cheryl (2012). "An illustrated key and synopsis of the families and genera of carybdeid box jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Carybdeida), with emphasis on the "Irukandji family" (Carukiidae)". Journal of Natural History. 46 (41-42): 2595–2620. doi:10.1080/00222933.2012.717645. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
- ^ McGraw, Hill (2003). "gastric filament". THE FREE DICTIONARY.