Head to head
Stalked Jellyfish vs Box Jellyfish
Stalked Jellyfish
VS Box Jellyfish
Both are classified among the jellyfish, but they could hardly differ more in mobility, danger, and basic life cycle.
| Stalked Jellyfish | Box Jellyfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Stauromedusae | Chironex fleckeri |
| Mobility | Attached to a surface for its entire adult life | An active swimmer, jetting up to 2 m/s |
| Life cycle | Skips the free-swimming medusa stage entirely | The free-swimming medusa is the dangerous adult stage |
| Danger to humans | Not documented as dangerous | Among the most venomous animals known |
| Eyes | Not documented as having eyes | 24 eyes across four sensory clusters |
| Typical habitat | Cold coastal waters, attached to seaweed or rock | Warm coastal waters of northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, coastal |
Stalked Jellyfish vs Box Jellyfish: common questions
Which one can actively swim rather than staying attached?
The box jellyfish is the active swimmer, jetting through the water at up to two metres per second, while the stalked jellyfish remains attached to a surface for its entire adult life.
Which one poses a serious danger to humans?
The box jellyfish poses the serious danger, with venom potent enough to kill a person within minutes, while the stalked jellyfish is not documented as posing any comparable threat.
Which one has eyes?
The box jellyfish has 24 eyes arranged in four sensory clusters, some with lenses and retinas, a feature not documented in the stalked jellyfish.