IT HAS pink spots, a body that is 15cm long, tentacles that grow as long as one metre, has left some who encounter it on life support and it has just been discovered in Lake Macquarie.
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While there have been no reported fatalities, the sting of the Morbakka fenneri jellyfish has the potential to make you very sick.
In May, the jellyfish was discovered in the lake by marine researchers from the Australian Museum.
Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, a Tasmanian-based a marine biologist with the CSIRO, was the scientist who classify the species in 2008.
“I gave birth to this species,” Dr Gerwshwin said. “While we knew about it, it had not been classified.”
Dr Gershwin said it was impossible to know if there were more of the rare Morbakka fenneri jellyfish in the lake.
“It’s a big lake; you just don’t know,” Dr Gershwin said.
“The interesting story is how do you have something so big, that can potentially kill and nobody knows.
“It has kind of swum under the radar.
“Nobody knew it was here. Researchers knew. Some medicos knew. Surf Life Saving knew. But why didn’t the public?”
Dr Gershwin said she had been contacted by Lake Macquarie residents interested in searching for the jellyfish to see if there is a population in the lake.
“They want advice about how to attract them and what to look for,” she said.
Her advice to anyone interested in searching for a Morbakka fenneri is “don’t touch it”, do take a photograph, note the location and then contact Lake Macquare City Council or police.
The jellyfish discovered in May has been “collected and preserved” by the Australian Museum. Dr Gershwin said removing it from the lake was the safest course of action and the council responded quickly.
The interesting story is how do you have something so big, that can potentially kill, and nobody knows?
- Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin
Stings from a Morbakka fenneri can range from skin pain to mild or severe in Irukandji syndrome. The symptoms of the syndrome include: severe headache, backache, muscle pains, chest and abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, sweating, anxiety, hypertension and tachycardia.
One of the more unusual severe side effects of a sting is a sense of impending doom.