SINGAPORE \u2013 Researchers from Singapore and Japan have discovered a new species of box jellyfish near Sentosa, and have advised beachgoers to take precautions.<\/p>\n
This is the first discovery of a jellyfish of the Chironex<\/i> genus since 2017, adding a new species to one of the world\u2019s most venomous animal groups.<\/p>\n
The researchers from Tohoku University and the National University of Singapore\u2019s Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Tropical Marine Science Institute have named this new species Chironex blakangmati<\/i>, after Sentosa\u2019s original name: Pulau Blakang Mati, or Island of Death Behind.<\/p>\n
It is the fourth known species of box jellyfish in the Chironex<\/i> genus in the world.<\/p>\n
The precise population of this new species of venomous jellyfish in Singapore\u2019s waters remains unknown. So far, confirmed sightings have been rare and sporadic.<\/p>\n
The researchers advised beachgoers to take precautions while swimming in the ocean, such as by wearing covered swimsuits and using a high-visibility buoy if away from shore.<\/p>\n
The research project received funding from the Tohoku University & Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (WPI-AIMEC) <\/b>and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation\u2019s Ocean Shot project.<\/p>\n
Named after their cube-like bell, box jellyfish are a carnivorous species considered highly advanced among jellyfish.<\/p>\n
Unlike other jellyfish, they are able to swim, rather than simply float with the current. They have also developed the ability to see, allowing them to target prey more effectively.<\/p>\n
Being transparent, box jellyfish are also extremely difficult to spot, which in combination with their highly venomous tentacles makes them a dangerous swimming partner.<\/p>\n
The Chironex<\/i> genus is particularly dangerous, earning the nickname \u201csea wasps\u201d, with venom so strong that stings can be fatal to humans.<\/p>\n Newly discovered species Chironex blakangmati (live; left), next to Chironex yamaguchii (preserved; right), which it was previously assumed to be.<\/p>\n PHOTOS: IFFAH IESA, CHERYL LEWIS AMES<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n While box jellyfish stings do not occur frequently in Singapore, swimming was temporarily banned in Sentosa\u2019s Siloso Beach in 2020<\/span><\/a> after box jellyfish were sighted in the waters around the area.<\/p>\n A recent death is the widely reported case of a two-year-old Russian boy who died due to complications after a box jellyfish sting in Langkawi in November 2025.<\/p>\n Before its discovery, this particular species of box jellyfish was assumed to be one of the three previously known species.<\/p>\n \u201cC. blakangmati\u00a0<\/i>looks remarkably like\u00a0Chironex yamaguchii\u00a0\u2013<\/i> a jellyfish species I first discovered in Okinawa while doing my master\u2019s degree there,\u201d explained researcher Cheryl Ames, a professor at the Tohoku University\u2019s Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, as well as at WPI-AIMEC.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we realised they were completely distinct. I actually went back to dust off an old sample of\u00a0C. yamaguchii<\/i>\u00a0I still had in storage in Okinawa to help with the comparisons.\u201d<\/p>\n After conducting genetic analysis to determine if the two species were distinct, the research team also identified a visual difference between them.<\/p>\n Uniquely among the Chironex <\/i>genus, C. blakangmati <\/i>lacks pointed canals on its perradial lappets, a muscular flap used to support the velarium, another flap that the jellyfish use to propel themselves forward.<\/p>\n This anatomical distinction confirmed that this was a fourth separate species.<\/p>\n A close-up of the perradial lappets (the large central shape in each image) of Chironex blakangmati (left) and juvenile Chironex yamaguchii (right).<\/p>\n PHOTOS: IFFAH IESA, CHERYL LEWIS AMES<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Besides the new species, the team also found samples of Chironex indrasaksajiae<\/i>, the first time this species of jellyfish has been reported in Singaporean waters. It is usually found in Thai waters, further north of Singapore.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were surprised to find\u00a0C. indrasaksajiae\u00a0<\/i>so far away from Thailand,\u201d said Ames, \u201cRecording range expansions like these is really important, as we currently know so little about the biodiversity and spatial distribution of box jellyfish.\u201d<\/p>\n Research projects such as these remain necessary to create the best possible guidelines and safety procedures to protect beachgoers.<\/p>\n Chironex indrasaksajiae, a species of jellyfish usually found on the coasts of Thailand, has now been discovered in Singapore for the first time.<\/p>\n PHOTO: IFFAH IESA<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The National Parks Board (NParks) recommends covering as much exposed skin as possible, avoiding venturing into the ocean alone and bringing a bottle of plain vinegar as precautions against jellyfish stings. Plain vinegar is known to prevent box jellyfish tentacles from releasing more venom when poured onto the sting.<\/p>\n It is also advisable to stay clear of any jellyfish in sight, either in the water or on the beach.<\/p>\n Victims stung by a jellyfish should stay calm and seek immediate medical attention. Do not attempt to remove the tentacles with bare hands as this can cause them to release more toxins.<\/p>\n Instead, flood the area with seawater or plain vinegar for at least 30 seconds, before removing the tentacle with a towel or pair of tweezers. But if plain vinegar worsens the sting, use only seawater to flush the area.<\/p>\n For further information, visit the NParks website<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n SINGAPORE \u2013 Researchers from Singapore and Japan have discovered a new species of box jellyfish near Sentosa, and have advised beachgoers to take precautions. This…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=57522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57522\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=57522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=57522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=57522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/picture><\/div>
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