Mysterious creature with 24 eyes discovered turns out to be venomous jellyfish
A new venomous species complete with 24 eyes has been found in a muddy pond.
The new species of jellyfish was discovered by scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) at Mai Po Reserve in Hong Kong.
The research team collaborated with WWF-Hong Kong, Ocean Park Hong Kong and the University of Manchester.
A member of the box jellyfish family, it has a body that measures less than an inch and has three tentacles.
Its 24 eyes are separated into four groups of six, and HKBU said: "Each group of six eyes is located inside a sensory depression called a rhopalium on each side of the bell.
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"In each group of eyes, the researchers believe that two of them have lenses that enable image-forming, while the other four can only sense light."
Only two eyes in each group can sense light, scientists believe (Press Release/Hong Kong Baptist University)Other features of the creature include a paddle-like end to the tentacle, which means the animal can swim away faster than most jellyfish. Its body is also transparent and colourless.
Professor Qiu said: “We named the new species Tripedalia maipoensis to reflect its type locality – where the new species was first found.
"Although it is currently known only in Mai Po, we believe that this species is also distributed in the adjacent waters of the Pearl River Estuary as the gei wais are connected to the estuary through a tidal channel.”
The new jellyfish is known to be venomous (Press Release/Hong Kong Baptist University)Professor Qiu Jianwen, a Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU, said box jellyfish are "poorly known" in Chinese waters and it is the first discovery of new box jellyfish species near there.
The new species is similar to ones found in areas like Jamaica, Florida in the US, Singapore, Australia, and India.
Professor Qiu said: "Box jellyfish are a small group of cnidarians with only 49 species reported worldwide. They are poorly known in Chinese marine waters."
Box jellyfish are not as common near Chinese waters (Press Release/Hong Kong Baptist University)The professor continued: "Our discovery of Tripedalia maipoensis in Mai Po – a relatively well-studied area in Hong Kong – highlights the rich diversity of marine life in Hong Kong and even the whole of China.”
Research on the new species was published in the international academic journal Zoological Studies.
The jellyfish takes its name from the Mai Po Nature Reserve, recognised as a 'Wetland of International Importance'.
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