(Linnaeus, 1758) : Box Jelly| Phylum Cnidaria / Class Cubozoa /
Family Carybdeidae Our West Coast waters are not well endowed
with box jellies. The one species that does enter California
waters is Carybdea marsupialis (pictured here). Although
primarily a warm-water species, it visits nearshore habitats off
Santa Barbara and other southern California areas from August
through November. This species may have a bell of up to 4 cm
high, with numerous nematocyst containing nodules on the outer
part. The bell also usually is marked by light tan specks. Four
distinctive spade-like structures (the pedalia) are aligned with
the 4 tentacles and the septa that separate the gastric pouches.
Each tentacle is capable of extending more than 10 times the
height of the bell. Carybdea tends to swim most of the time
while seeking crustaceans and small fishes. When visiting
southern California waters, this box jelly favors shallow sandy
habitats inshore of the kelp beds. Fortunately for bathers in
the area, this species lacks a