Editing Box jellyfish (section)

== Detection ==
[[File:E.Coli DNA Extraction.jpg|thumb|The technique used for the separation of eDNA from the water column using a cellulose nitrate membrane filter.]]
Cubozoans are widely distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions, yet the detection of these organisms can be quite difficult and costly due to a high amount of variation in their occurrence and abundance, their translucent body, two different life stages (medusa and polyp), and vast amounts of size variability within the different species in the class Cubozoa.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last1=Bolte |first1=Brett |last2=Goldsbury |first2=Julie |last3=Jerry |first3=Dean |last4=Kingsford |first4=Michael |date=2020-06-18 |title=Validation of eDNA as a viable method of detection for dangerous cubozoan jellyfish |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.22541/au.159248732.24076157 |access-date=2023-11-07 |doi=10.22541/au.159248732.24076157 }}</ref>

Understanding the ecological distribution of cubozoans can be difficult work, and some of the costly methods like visual observations, a variety of different nets, light attraction techniques, and most recently the use of drones have had some levels of success in locating and tracking different species of cubozoa, but are limited by both anthropogenic and environmental factors.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Morrissey |first1=Scott J. |last2=Jerry |first2=Dean R. |last3=Kingsford |first3=Michael J. |date=2022-12-19 |title=Genetic Detection and a Method to Study the Ecology of Deadly Cubozoan Jellyfish |journal=Diversity |volume=14 |issue=12 |pages=1139 |doi=10.3390/d14121139 |issn=1424-2818 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

A new form of detection, [[environmental DNA]] (eDNA), has been developed and employed to help aid in the analysis of the populations of box jellyfish which can be implemented to mitigate the effects that box jellyfish have on coastal anthropogenic activities.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Minamoto |first1=Toshifumi |last2=Fukuda |first2=Miho |last3=Katsuhara |first3=Koki R. |last4=Fujiwara |first4=Ayaka |last5=Hidaka |first5=Shunsuke |last6=Yamamoto |first6=Satoshi |last7=Takahashi |first7=Kohji |last8=Masuda |first8=Reiji |date=2017-02-28 |title=Environmental DNA reflects spatial and temporal jellyfish distribution |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=e0173073 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0173073 |issn=1932-6203 |doi-access=free |hdl=20.500.14094/90003938 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> This relatively easy and cost-effective method utilizes extra-organismal genetic material that can be found in the water column via shedding throughout the lifespan of an organism.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

This process for identifying box jellyfish using the eDNA technique involves collecting a water sample and filtering the sample through a cellulose nitrate membrane filter to extract any genetic material from the water sample.<ref name=":2" /> Once the DNA is extracted, it is analyzed for species-specific matches to see if the eDNA sequences sampled correlate with existing DNA sequences for box jellyfish.<ref name=":2" /> Given the results, the presence or absence of the box jellyfish can be indicated through the matching of genetic material.<ref name=":12" /> If a match is found, then the box jellyfish was present in the area.<ref name=":3" /> The utilization of eDNA can provide a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor populations of box jellyfish in both medusa and polyp life stages, to then use the data to help understand more about their ecology and limit the effects on coastal anthropogenic activities.<ref name=":12" />