Irukandji

•The sting is moderately irritating; the severe syndrome is delayed for 5–120 minutes (30 minutes on average).

•vinegar will deactivate unfired nematocysts on the skin but has no effect on the venom already in the body.

•a single sting is normally not fatal, only two people are believed to have died from Irukandji stings and only because of pre-existing medical conditions (Australian lightning deaths 1980-1990: 19, Number of people killed at Disneyland: 9)

•Irukandji stings occur in all months of the year and the species has been found in waters as far north as the British Isles, Japan, and the Florida coast of the United States.

•Average of 30-40 people get stung every year in Australia BUT in 2001-2002 during el Nino there were 160 stings.

•Irukandji are offshore animals and are only found on mainland beaches under specific weather patterns (long periods of NE breezes where onshore currents are produced).

•can occur with sea lice