• Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [4]

Introduction

The branched-pedalia species have long been recognised as separate from the simple-pedalia taxa, but both groupings were widely regarded to be at the family level. However, when Werner (1973) elevated the cubomedusae to the Class Cubozoa, that left the Order Cubomedusae and the Class Cubozoa both defining precisely the same set of taxa; this was later corrected by Werner (1984), in elevating the families Carybdeidae and Chirodropidae to the orders Carybdeida and Chirodropida. However, while the elevation to the class level has been widely adopted, raising the families to orders has gone virtually unnoticed, perhaps because the correction was made in a German-language book chapter, thus being readily unaccessable to many workers and search engines.

The order Chirodropida was recognised by Gershwin (2005a, 2006b) and Gershwin & Alderslade (2006a), to include the families Chirodropidae and Chiropsalmidae. The order is attributed to Haeckel (1880) by the Principle of Coordination.

Diagnosis

Cubozoa with branched pedalia bearing numerous tentacles; with or without gastric
saccules.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [4]

History of changes

• Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42

Introduction

The family Chirodropidae was long and widely accepted to encompass all branched-pedalia cubozoans, but was more narrowly redefined by Gershwin (2006a) to exclude the simple-sacculed taxa.

The family currently encompasses several taxa that are quite diverse morphologically, i.e., Chironex, the so-called 'deadly box jellyfish' with cocks-comb-like gastric saccules and leaf-like gonads growing from the top of the septa downward; Chirodropus, with feather-like gastric saccules; and Chirodectes, with filamentous gonads and no gastric saccules. It is possible that as more species become known, this family will be further divided to more accurately express the relationships among these taxa.

Diagnosis

Chirodropida with branched gastric saccules, or lacking gastric saccules; with leaf-like gonads growing from the top of the septa downward, or with filamentous gonads.

History of changes

• Chirodectes Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [17].

  Type species:

   Chiropsalmus maculatus Cornelius et al., 2005 by original designation.

  Secondary source:

   Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [16].

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from Great Barrier Reef

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Diagnosis

Chirodropidae without gastric saccules; with large fields of well developed subumbrellar muscle bands spanning the perradial sides; with large fields of gastric cirri lining the interradial sides of the stomach wall; with filamentous gonads.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [17]

History of changes

• Chiropsalmus maculatus Cornelius, P.F.S., Fenner, P.J. & Hore, R. 2005. Chiropsalmus maculatus sp. nov., a cubomedusa from the Great Barrier Reef. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 51(2): 399–405 [401].

  Type data:

   Holotype QM G316989 (2 May 1997, within 5 m of surface), Just inside Outer Barrier Reef, NE Queensland, 43 km off mainland [15°59.050'S, 145°49.294'E].

Generic Combinations

• Chiropsalmus maculatus (Cornelius, Fenner & Hore, 2005).

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, pelagic.

Diagnosis

As for genus.

Notes

The species was described into the genus Chiropsalmus; however, Gershwin (2006a) promptly showed that its combination of unique characters made this an untenable assignment, and created the new genus Chirodectes for it.

History of changes

• Chironex Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280 [259].

  Type species:

   Chironex fleckeri Southcott, 1956 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-west Pacific

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25)

Other Regions

Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater

Diagnosis

Bell very cuboid, lacking exumbrellar nematocysts. Tentacles robust, flat in cross section. Pedalial canal with upward-pointing "thorn" projecting off the bend. Gastric saccules solid, cock's-comb-shaped, covered with functional gonad; lateral gonad reduced.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2007. Personal communication.

History of changes

• Chironex fleckeri Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280 [259].

  Type data:

   Holotype SAMA H12♂, Cardwell, QLD.
  Paratype(s) SAMA H16 (immature), Cardwell, QLD; SAMA H13♀; SAMA H19♀, Darwin, NT; SAMA H17 (juvenile), Cardwell, QLD; SAMA H16 (juvenile); SAMA H18 (late juvenile), Cairns, QLD.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25)

Other Regions

Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, estuary, marine, nectonic, pelagic.

Diagnosis

Bell to about 200mm high, lacking exumbrellar nematocysts. Tentacles robust, flat in cross section, up to 15 per pedalium. Pedalial canal with upward-pointing "thorn" projecting off the bend. Gastric saccules solid, cock's-comb-shaped, covered with functional gonad; lateral gonad reduced. Mesenteries cord-like from stomach to rhopalium. Statolith medicine-tablet-shaped, cylindrical with rounded ends.

Sting

Chironex fleckeri has long been considered the 'world's deadliest animal', and is capable of killing an adult human in 2–3 minutes. Similar lethal jellyfishes occur throughout southeast Asia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea; these are probably closely related to C. fleckeri.

History of changes

Distribution

States

Northern Territory

Extra Distribution Information

Darwin.

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, neritic.

Notes

A form of Chironex, which does not match the description of any other known species, is common in the Darwin region of the Northern Territory. Its identity is still under investigation.

History of changes

• Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [5]

Introduction

Thiel (1936) erected the family Chiropsalmidae to replace the family Chirodropidae based on his opinion that the genus name Chirodropus was invalid. Gershwin (2006b) disagreed about the invalidity of Chirodropus, and resurrected the family Chiropsalmidae in an emended sense.

Two other families have been previously proposed that overlap to some degree with the Chiropsalmidae, both applying to Chiropsoides buitendijki. Krumbach (1925) proposed the family name Drepanochiridae for his newly erected genus Drepanochirus, which was meant to separate Drepanochirus (=Chiropsalmus) buitendijki from the other Chiropsalmus species. Southcott (1956) found the genus name Drepanochirus to be preoccupied for a coleopterid, and thus proposed the genus name Chiropsoides and the corresponding family name Chiropsoididae, once again emphasizing the uniqueness of ‘Chiropsalmus buitendijki’. It may well be that further studies into the morphology and genetics of Chiropsoides buitendijki will prove it worthy of higher level separation, but it seems most conservative to recognize its close relationship to Chiropsalmus (based on the smooth, pendant gastric saccules) in the absence of compelling evidence to the contrary.

Diagnosis

Chirodropida with smooth, unbranched, finger-like gastric saccules, lacking filaments.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [5]

General References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42

Krumbach, T. 1925. Scyphozoa. pp. 522-686 in Kukenthal, W. & Krumbach, T. (eds). Handbuch der Zoologie. Berlin : W. de Gruyter Vol. 1.

Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280

Thiel, M.E. 1936. Scyphomedusae: Cubomedusae. H.G. Bronns Klassen und Ordnungen des Tierreichs 2(2): 173–308

History of changes

• Chiropsalmus Agassiz, L. 1862. Contributions to the Natural History of the United States of America. Second monograph. In five parts — Pt. I Acalephs in general. Pt. II Ctenophore. Pt. III. Discophorae. Pt. IV. Hydroidae. Pt. V. Homologies of the Radiata. Boston, London : Little Brown, Trubner Vol. IV i-viii, 380 pp. + (1-10), pls 20-35. [174].

  Type species:

   Tamoya quadrumana Agassiz, 1862 by original designation.

Distribution

Recorded from "Australia".

Extra Distribution Information

United States of America: Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas; Belize, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Diagnosis

Chiropsalmidae with nematocyst warts on the exumbrella; with rounded hump in the pedalial canal bend; with finger-shaped, pendant gastric saccules; with well developed lateral gonads; with tentacles narrow in width and round in cross section; lacking mesenteries.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [6]

Misidentifications

Notes on Chiropsalmus quadrigatus:
A very large number of references to C. quadrigatus in Australian waters were listed and discussed by Gershwin (2006a); all were demonstrated to be erroneous identifications and referable to Chiropsella bronzie. As detailed therein, the true ‘quadrigatus’ from Burma has linear-branching pedalia and therefore was assigned therein to the genus Chiropsoides Horst, and the true Chiropsalmus has exumbrellar nematocyst warts and short pendant gastric saccules, and appears to be restricted to north and south American waters on both sides. Neither Chiropsalmus nor quadrigatus have ever been credibly found in Australia.

General References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 (presenting alternative taxonomic arrangement)

History of changes

• Chiropsalmus quadrumanus Müller, F. 1859. Zwei neue Quallen von Santa Catharina. Abhandlungen des Naturforschenden Gessellschaft Halle 5(1): 12 pp., pls I–III [3].

  Type data:

   Neotype MZUSP 493 (22 February 2001, collected by bottom trawl over very muddy bottom, 7–10m, by A.C. Marques), Costão do Carneiro, in front of Enseada beach, Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil.

  Subsequent designation references:

  Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [7].

Distribution

Recorded from "Australia".

Extra Distribution Information

United States of America: Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas; Belize, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, pelagic.

Diagnosis

Chiropsalmus with exumbrellar nematocyst warts; with up to ten, oppositely-arranged tentacles on each pedalium; with short, hollow, finger-like gastric saccules.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [9]

Notes

Reported in Australia by: Stiasny, 1926b (NT); Edmonds, 1975. The Stiasny specimen from Port Darwin (reg. 4188) could not be located, but is unlikly to be an accurate identification.

Chiropsalmus quadrumanus is an Atlantic species and has not been credibly reported in Australian waters.

General References

Edmonds, C. 1975. Dangerous Marine Animals of the Indo-Pacific Region. Newport, Victoria, Australia : Wedneil Publications.

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [6] (Taxonomic revision)

History of changes

• Chiropsella Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [25].

  Type species:

   Chiropsella bronzie Gershwin, 2006 by original designation.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northeast Shelf Province (40)

Diagnosis

Chiropsalmidae with divided pedalial canal, with each of the two branches giving rise to the fingers of the pedalia in a unilateral fashion, alternate or opposite to those on the other fork; with gastric saccules sessile, solid and unbranched.

History of changes

• Chiropsella bart Gershwin, L. & Alderslade, P. 2006. Chiropsella bart, n. sp., a new box jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida) from the Northern Territory, Australia. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 22: 15–21 [15].

  Type data:

   Holotype NTM C15252, Town Beach, Nhulunbuy, Gove Peninsula, NT.
  Paratype(s) NTM C14603, Nhulunbuy, Gove Peninsula, NT.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory

Extra Distribution Information

From eastern Arnhem Land along the Gulf of Carpentaria.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26)

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, nectonic, pelagic.

Extra Ecological Information

Renowned locally for occurring only in the so-called 'safe season' (i.e., the dry season).

Diagnosis

Chiropsella species reaching about 5 cm bell height with up to about 5 tentacles per pedalium; with long scalpel-like pedalia with main tentacles forming a more or less terminal cluster; with volcano-shaped diverticulum on pedalial canal near pedalial base; with coalesced solid, knob-like gastric saccules, appearing as single kidneybean-shaped structure.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. & Alderslade, P. 2006. Chiropsella bart, n. sp., a new box jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida) from the Northern Territory, Australia. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 22: 15–21 [16]

History of changes

• Chiropsella bronzie Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [25].

  Type data:

   Holotype MTQ G55274 ♀ (coll. by J.H. Barnes 11 February 1964), Pretty Beach, QLD, Australia.
  Paratype(s) (heaps of paratypes; see original description).

Distribution

States

Queensland

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40)

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, estuary, marine, pelagic.

Diagnosis

Chiropsella with 8 conspicuous solid, knob-like gastric saccules in the upper adradii of the subumbrellar cavity; with well-developed lateral gonads spanning the entire interradial septum length; with up to 9 fine, round tentacles per pedalium.

History of changes

Distribution

States

New South Wales

Extra Distribution Information

Sydney to northern NSW.

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, neritic.

Notes

A form of Chiropsella, which does not match the description of any other known species, has been found several times in the Sydney region. Its identity is still under investigation.

History of changes

Distribution

States

Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Onslow region.

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, neritic.

Notes

A form of Chiropsella, which does not match the description of any other known species, has been found in the Ningaloo Reef region of Western Australia. Its identity is still under investigation.

History of changes

• Chiropsoides Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280 [276].

  Secondary source:

   Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [17] (Taxonomic revision).
• Drepanochirus Krumbach, T. 1925. Scyphozoa. pp. 522-686 in Kukenthal, W. & Krumbach, T. (eds). Handbuch der Zoologie. Berlin : W. de Gruyter Vol. 1. [575] [preoccupied by Coleoptera (see Southcott, 1956)].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280 [276]
• Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [17]

Distribution

Recorded from "Australia".

Extra Distribution Information

Burma (= Myanmar), Indonesia, Sri Lanka

Diagnosis

Chiropsalmidae with unilaterally branching pedalia.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [17]

History of changes

• Chiropsalmus buitendijki Horst, R. 1907. On a new cubomedusa from the Java-Sea: Chiropsalmus buitendijki. Notes from the Leyden Museum 29(2): 101–106, pl. 2 [101].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) RMNH 5234 (P. Buitendijk, 1907; 2 specimens), Reede van Batavia, Java.

Generic Combinations

• Chiropsoides buitendijki (Horst, 1907). —
  Southcott, R.V. 1956. Studies on Australian cubomedusae, including a new genus and species apparently harmful to man. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 7(2): 254–280 [276]

Distribution

Recorded from "Australia".

Extra Distribution Information

Indonesia, Sri Lanka

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, pelagic.

Diagnosis

Chiropsoides with 5–9 fingers and tentacles; with long, hollow, finger-shaped gastric saccules; with low, pyramidal diverticulae on the main shafts of the pedalial canals, singly between successive branches.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [19]

Notes

Etymology: Named to honour Mr. P.J. Buitendijk, who found this species and presented the specimens to the Museum

General References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [18] (taxonomic revision)

History of changes

• Chiropsalmus quadrigatus Haeckel, E. 1880. System der Acraspeden. Zweite Halfte des System der Medusen. Jena : G. Fischer. [447].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZMUC unnumbered (= Haeckel #166) (coll. by Thallitzer, 18 Nov 1863), Indian Ocean, 10 miles off Rangoon, Burma.

Generic Combinations

• Chiropsoides quadrigatus (Haeckel, 1880). —
  Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

Ecological Descriptors

Carnivorous, marine, pelagic.

Diagnosis

Cannot be accurately diagnosed at this time based on immaturity of the holotype.

Diagnosis References

Gershwin, L. 2006. Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa 1231: 1-42 [23]

Notes

The species bears the linear-arranged fingers of the pedalia, as in the later-known Chiropsoides buitendijki; however, there are other morphological differences and geographical separation that make their conspecificity doubtful. More material needs to be collected in a range of sizes of both forms to better determine the relationship.

History of changes