Deadly jellyfish with 24 eyes discovered in Chinese waters
International researchers have discovered a new species of jellyfish – and for lovers of the ocean it’s not all good news
READING LEVEL: GREEN
International researchers have discovered a new species* of jellyfish – and for lovers of the ocean it’s not good news.
Hong Kong Baptist University found the new variant* of the box jellyfish* in a shrimp* pond at the Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve after collecting samples between 2020 to 2022.
Lead researcher Professor Qui Jianwen said he was “thrilled” with the discovery.
“It shows the potential of news species in Mai Po where extensive research has been conducted highlighting the potential for more marine life* discovery in the Hong Kong waters and even Chinese coastal waters,” he said.
The box jellyfish is one of the most highly venomous* marine animals that are usually found in tropical* waters.
The species are considered deadly because their tentacles are covered in “biological booby traps known as nematocysts* – tiny darts loaded with poison,” according to the National Ocean Service*.
It is known for its cube-shaped body with three tentacles at the base of each of its four corners.
Their tentacles are like boat paddles which help them hunt prey, namely shrimp, faster than other kinds of jellyfish.
And remarkably, it has 24 eyes.
Of its 24 eyes, only some are used to form images, while a majority are used to sense light.
Professor Qiu said the team 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*,” he said. Professor Qui said the box jellyfish are “poorly known in Chinese marine waters” and that the discovery “highlights the rich diversity* of marine life in Hong Kong and even whole of China”.
GLOSSARY
- species: a distinct type of plant or animal that shares certain characteristics and can breed with others of its kind.
- variant: a different form or version of something
- box jellyfish: a type of jellyfish that has a cube-shaped body and is known for its highly venomous tentacles
- shrimp: a small, edible crustacean
- marine life: the plants and animals that live in the ocean or other bodies of saltwater
- venomous: capable of injecting venom or poison
- tropical: relating to the regions of the earth near the equator, characterised by warm climates
- nematocysts: specialised cells in the tentacles of some jellyfish that can inject venom into prey or attackers
- National Ocean Service: a U.S. government agency responsible for managing and preserving ocean and coastal resources.
- type locality: the place where a particular type of animal or plant was first discovered or identified
- adjacent: next to or adjoining something else
- gei wais: a type of traditional shrimp farming in Hong Kong
- tidal channel: a narrow passage of water that connects two larger bodies of water and is affected by the tides
- rich diversity: a variety of different types or kinds
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QUICK QUIZ
- What did international researchers discover?
- Where was the new variant of the box jellyfish found?
- What makes the box jellyfish a deadly species?
- How many eyes does the box jellyfish have?
- What did the lead researcher name the new species and why?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. As scary as it sounds?
This news story makes the newly discovered box jellyfish species sound quite scary! But is it...? What do you think? Should people really be frightened about this discovery? Why or why not? Write a paragraph to explain your reasoning.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science; Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Try rewriting this news story from a different angle. Think about how you can omit or reword parts of the article to make the emphasis less about the scary aspects of the box jellyfish and more focused on how exciting it is for a previously unknown species to have been found.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Science; Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Beware of the box … jellyfish!
Write a paragraph that is sure to capture the audience’s attention. Use a hook to grab the audience’s attention right from the beginning, then continue to build suspense with short sharp sentences. Use your vocabulary skills to add thoughts and emotions to the text, so we can really imagine what the character is going through as they encounter this deadly sea beast.
How will they escape?