{"id":159550,"date":"2023-05-16T12:35:26","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T12:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=159550"},"modified":"2023-05-16T12:35:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-16T12:35:26","slug":"hong-kong-scientists-discover-new-species-of-box-jellyfish-amid-growing-interest-in-these-marine-creatures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/special-interest\/hong-kong-scientists-discover-new-species-of-box-jellyfish-amid-growing-interest-in-these-marine-creatures\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong Scientists Discover New Species of Box Jellyfish Amid Growing Interest in These Marine Creatures"},"content":{"rendered":" \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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Scientists at the Hong Kong Baptist University have recently uncovered a completely new species of box jellyfish, a type of Cnidarian, in a local shrimp pond.<\/span><\/p>\n This fascinating discovery in the Mai Po Nature Reserve marks the first-ever box jelly discovered in Chinese waters.<\/span><\/p>\n These tiny, cube-shaped jellyfish, now named Tripedalia maipoensis, are almost completely transparent with a colorless body or bell, and are equipped with 12 tentacles ending in small, paddle-like structures.<\/span><\/p>\n This unique feature allows these small creatures to navigate water at a faster pace compared to most other jellyfish species.<\/span><\/p>\n The distinguishing characteristics of this new species also include 24 eyes arranged in clusters of six around its cubic bell.<\/span><\/p>\n Their tentacles and bell are connected with a flat base resembling a boat paddle, distinguishing them from other common jellyfish.<\/span><\/p>\n The species is likely to feed on small crustaceans, known as copepods, which were found in abundance in the shrimp pond samples.<\/span><\/p>\n While it is still unclear whether T. maipoensis can sting humans, the research team led by Qiu Jianwen, a professor in the Department of Biology, noted that the animal might be venomous enough to paralyze tiny shrimp called Artemia.<\/span><\/p>\n This finding represents a significant addition to marine biodiversity in the region, showing the potential for more marine life discoveries in Hong Kong and Chinese coastal waters.<\/span><\/p>\n Jellyfish, known by many names around the world, are often a source of fear due to their venomous stings.<\/span><\/p>\n They are particularly adaptable creatures, surviving in a wide variety of environments ranging from the North to the South Pole, from the surface to the deep seas, and even in freshwater.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, their fascinating biology and ability to withstand a variety of conditions have often been overlooked, with studies usually focused on larger and more charismatic megafauna.<\/span><\/p>\n These marine creatures are as captivating as they are feared. They exhibit an array of colors, shapes, and sizes and have even proven to be biologically immortal.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite their longevity and adaptability, which has seen them outlive 99 percent of all other species, they’ve largely been ignored in academic and amateur study of natural history for centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n Scientists at the Hong Kong Baptist University have recently uncovered a completely new species of box jellyfish, a type of Cnidarian, in a local shrimp pond.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>\r\n\r\n Recently, however, the tide seems to be turning for these marine organisms. Increasing human activity and environmental disruptions, such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change, are leading to larger jellyfish blooms.<\/span><\/p>\n This sudden surge in their population is causing significant disturbances across several industries, including aquaculture, power plants, shipping, and tourism, leading to increased attention on these creatures.<\/span><\/p>\n Simultaneously, there’s a growing commercial interest in jellyfish.<\/span><\/p>\n They’re harvested for a variety of uses, ranging from food products like snacks and Asian cuisine delicacies to non-food products like super-growth fertilizers for rice, super-absorbent paper towels, sanitary products, and even as thickeners for caramel candies.<\/span><\/p>\n As our understanding of these mysterious creatures deepens, so does our appreciation for their resilience and adaptability.<\/span><\/p>\n The discovery of the new box jellyfish species in Hong Kong is a testament to the untapped potential of marine biodiversity in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n It also sheds light on the need for further research and conservation efforts to protect these unique creatures and the ecosystems they inhabit.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":159551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[411],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-159550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-interest"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159550"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159550"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159550\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Jellyfish: The Underappreciated Marine Marvels<\/b><\/h2>\n
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The Jellyfish Renaissance<\/b><\/h2>\n
Final Thoughts<\/b><\/h2>\n