Studies of little-known marine species championed in Hong Kong

University team engaged in groundbreaking research work

The Australian box jellyfish is one of the most venomous creatures on Earth. One sting from it can lead to paralysis, cardiac arrest and even death, all within minutes.

Four months ago, a university team in Hong Kong identified a new species of box jellyfish — a relative of the infamous Australian breed — in an intertidal shrimp pond at the Mai Po Nature Reserve. It was the first discovery of a new box jellyfish species in Chinese waters.

Named Tripedalia maipoensis, this jellyfish is colorless and transparent. Its body has a bell-like structure with four sides, with six eyes on each one. It is up to 10 centimeters long and has 12 tentacles. The discovery adds a fourth species to the Tripedaliidae family.

Qiu Jianwen, the Hong Kong Baptist University biology professor who led the research team, said, "This is a contribution to the biodiversity of this family."

The professor, who has focused on aquatic ecology studies for nearly half a century, has been exploring new marine species for about 20 years, discovering more than 30 such breeds during that time.

Early in 2020, staff members at the Mai Po Nature Reserve noticed an unusual presence of jellyfish in the shrimp pond. Despite consulting local and international academic institutes, officials from the reserve were unable to identify the species.