November 18, 2009

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With thousands of stinging cells that can emit deadly venom from tentacles that can reach 10 feet in length, the 50 or so species of box jellyfish have long been of interest to scientists and to the public. Yet little has been known about the evolution of this early branch in the animal tree of life. In a paper published today, researchers have unraveled the evolutionary relationships among the various species of box jellyfish, thereby providing insight into the evolution of their toxicity.Full Story

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NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center

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