• 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