MadSci Network: General Biology |
Hi Patrick,
Yes, if you step on a dead jellyfish it can still sting you. The stinging part of the jellyfish lies in specialized structures called nematocysts. These cysts are very small, so small that you would need a microscope to see them. Each netmatocyst has a stinger coiled within it. When a trigger hair on the exterior of the cell is brushed or otherwise disturbed, the stinger is released. The stinger can only be fired once. However, this reflex action on the part of the jellyfish works even when the organism is dead. So alive or dead, it's best not to step on a jellyfish.
-Nick
You can find outmore about jellyfish and other marine life via the Phylum Index at Woods Hole Marine Labs, or by searching the MadSci Archives for queries such as jellyfish.