Purple Stinger
Purple People Eater
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© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Pelagia
- Species
- noctiluca
- Family
- Pelagiidae
- Order
- Semaeostomeae
- Class
- Scyphozoa
- Phylum
- Cnidaria
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 10 cm
Introduction
The Purple Stinger is a delicate, small and attractively coloured jellyfish with four fragile mouth arms and eight tentacles around the bell.
Identification
The Purple Stinger is a delicate, small and attractively coloured jellyfish with four fragile mouth arms and eight tentacles around the bell.
Habitat
The Purple Stinger lives in oceans and coastal waters.
Distribution
Purple Stingers are throughout eastern Australia.
Other behaviours and adaptations
It is also sometimes known as the 'purple people-eater' because it can deliver a nasty sting. The tentacles, mouth, arms and bell are covered in tiny dots, which are bundles of stinging cells (nematocysts) that will leave a painful, itchy rash if you come into contact with them.
The Purple Stinger is commonly encountered in summer on Sydney's beaches. Whether it is actually present in higher numbers in summer is uncertain, for it could just be that more jellyfish are noticed because more people swim in the summer.
Danger to humans
These jellyfish can deliver a painful sting. If stung, apply a cold pack to relieve the pain if necessary.
