Mumbai, April  20: Researchers have discovered a new species with 24 eyes! In Hong Kong's Mai Po Reserve, researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) identified a brand-new species of jellyfish in a muddy pond. The research team worked along with Ocean Park Hong Kong, WWF-Hong Kong, and the University of Manchester.

The body of the newly discovered species is less than an inch long and has three tentacles. It belongs to the family of box jellyfish. Its 24 eyes are divided into four groups of six, each of which, according to HKBU, is situated inside a sensory depression known as a rhopalium on either side of the bell. Rare Black Fox Spotted Roaming on Streets in South Wales, Experts Ask People to Stay Away Owing to Animal's Wild Nature. 

According to the researchers, each group of eyes has two lenses that allow for picture formation while the other four can simply detect light. The organism also has a tentacle with a paddle-like end that allows it to swim away more quickly than most jellyfish. Interestingly, it has a translucent and colourless body. To represent its type locality, or the place where the new species was initially discovered, the researchers have named it Tripedalia maipoensis.

Box jellyfish are ‘poorly known’ in Chinese waters, according to Professor Qiu Jianwen, department of biology at HKBU. This is the first time a new box jellyfish species has been discovered close to China, he added.

The newly discovered species is comparable to species that are found in places like Jamaica, Florida in the United States, Singapore, Australia, and India.

There are only 49 species of box jellyfish known to exist in the globe, and in Chinese maritime waters, they have a terrible reputation, according to Professor Qiu. Ground-Dwelling Gecko’s New Species Discovered in Forests of North Kerala. 

The research on the novel species was published in the prestigious academic journal Zoological Studies.  Moreover, the Mai Po Nature Reserve, designated as a ‘Wetland of International Importance’, gives rise to the jellyfish's name.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2023 04:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).