It is named after victim Robert King, a tourist from the United States swimming off Port Douglas, Queensland,[3] who died from its sting.

[1] They also have a frown-shaped rhopaliar niche ostium, perradial lappets that have two rows of warts, palmate velarial canals, and two median lensed eyes.

A very small number of M. kingi are found during the year in late summer and early winter.

Lisa-Ann Gershwin, an Australian marine stinger advisor, was stung while studying M. kingi.

According to Gershwin, a young girl was also stung and experienced nausea, excruciating pain, high blood pressure, and discomfort.

[1] Since there have been different outcomes for people that have been stung, scientists believe that as a M. kingi matures its venom becomes stronger.