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| Tripedalia maipoensis Sun, Tsui, Wong, Cheung, Ng, Or et Qiu, 2023 |
We describe a box jellyfish, Tripedalia maipoensis sp. nov., based on samples collected from a shrimp pond in Hong Kong. This new species is morphologically distinct from other species of the family Tripedaliidae by the following combination of characters: (1) three pedalia at each bell corner; (2) each pedalium with one tentacle; and (3) velarium with forked canals. Phylogenetic analyses based on a concatenated dataset of the 16S, 18S and 28S rRNA genes show that T. maipoensis sp. nov. is sister to the morphologically similar species T. cystophora, but the two species exhibit 17.4% divergence in the 16S rRNA gene, supporting T. maipoensis sp. nov. as a distinct species. This new species represents the fourth described species of Tripedaliidae, and the first record of the family in Chinese coastal waters.
Key words: Box jellyfish, Tripedalia, Morphology, Phylogeny, Hong Kong
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| Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic position of Tripedalia maipoensis sp. nov. (A–B) holotype (TMBC030991), female, living specimen, lateral view showing the gross morphology (A), and oblique top view showing gastric phacellus (B); (C) Rhopalial niche, preserved specimen, paratype (TMBC030992); (D) Rhopalium, showing six eyes and a statolith; (E) Upside down view of the bell showing the velarial canals, preserved specimen, paratype (TMBC030992), male; (F) details of the velarial canals, preserved specimen, holotype (TMBC030991), female; (G) oblique top view, showing nematocyst warts and gastric phacellus, living specimen, paratype TMBC030992; (H) manubrium, preserved, paratype (TMBC030997); (I) Nematocyst batteries from tentacle, paratype (TMBC030997). Scale bars: A–B = 1 cm; C, F, H = 1 mm; D = 0.3 mm; E, G = 5 mm; I = 10 µm. Abbreviations: cs, crystalline statolith; g, gonad; gp, gastric phacellae; le, lower lens eye; nw, nematocyst wart; pe, pit eye; rn, rhopalial niche; se, slit eye; ue, upper lens eye; vc, velarial canal. |
Tripedalia maipoensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Medusa with three pedalia per bell
corner, each pedalium with one tentacle, velarium with
forked canals.
Etymology: maipoensis is the Latinized form of the type locality Mai Po.
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| Habitat and morphology of Tripedalia maipoensis sp. nov. A, A brackish water shrimp pond in Mai Po where the samples were collected. B, Sampling using a plankton net from the shrimp pond. C–D, Paratype TMBC030992, living specimen, lateral view, male. E, Paratype TMBC030992, fixed in formalin and later transferred to ethanol for preservation. F, Paratype TMBC030992, preserved, showing gastric phacellae, bottom up view. G–H, Juveniles, living specimens. Scale bars: C–E = 1 cm; F–H = 1 mm. Abbreviation: g, gonad; m, manubrium. |
CONCLUSIONS:
In this study, we reported the new species
Tripedalia maipoensis sp. nov. collected from an
intertidal shrimp pond in the Mai Po Nature Reserve,
Hong Kong. Although the box jellyfish family
Tripedaliidae has been widely reported from tropical
and subtropical waters, this is the first record of it
in Chinese coastal waters. We described the species
with both morphological and molecular data. Future
investigations along Chinese coasts are warranted to
improve our understanding of the distribution of this
new species and the diversity of Cubozoa.
Yanan Sun, Justin Hon Yin Tsui, Rachel Ting Huen Wong, Ringo Nga Ching Cheung, Murphy Kam Pui Ng, Carmen K.M. Or and Jian-Wen Qiu. 2023. A New Species of Box Jellyfish (Cnidaria: Tripedaliidae: Tripedalia) from Hong Kong, China. Zool Stud. 62:17. DOI: 10.6620/ZS.2023.62-17
https://phys.org/news/2023-04-team-jellyfish-species-hong-kong.html
