A new species of cubozoan jellyfish has been discovered in shallow waters of Bonaire, Netherlands (Dutch Caribbean).
Thus far, approximately 50 sightings of the species, known commonly as the Bonaire banded box jelly, are recorded, and
three specimens have been collected. Three physical encounters between humans and the species have been reported.
Available evidence suggests that a serious sting is inflicted by this medusa. To increase awareness of the scientific disciplines
of systematics and taxonomy, the public has been involved in naming this new species. The Bonaire banded box
jelly, Tamoya ohboya, n. sp., can be distinguished from its close relatives T. haplonema from Brazil and T. sp. from the
southeastern United States by differences in tentacle coloration, cnidome, and mitochondrial gene sequences. Tamoya ohboya
n. sp. possesses striking dark brown to reddish-orange banded tentacles, nematocyst warts that densely cover the
animal, and a deep stomach. We provide a detailed comparison of nematocyst data from Tamoya ohboya n. sp., T. haplonema
from Brazil, and T. sp. from the Gulf of Mexico.