MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 21 February) – Chironex yamaguchii, a dangerous species of box jellyfish known from Japan and found to cause severe stings and deaths, is also present in the Philippines, including Mindanao, an international research team of biologists confirmed in a media release Friday. The team said that a close examination of the jellyfish’s physical characteristics and DNA found strong evidence that the species exists in the Coral Triangle, a marine biodiversity hotspot that includes the Philippines. A map of the locations of the deadly jellyfish provided by the team shows that in Mindanao, it is present in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Misamis Occidental, Caraga, and Davao Region. It also abounds in the Visayas and in the southern part of Luzon, including Palawan. The team said images and videos of citizens and tourists in the coastal communities that they visited, as well as their traditional knowledge of the marine environment, helped confirm that Chironex yamaguchii is widespread in Philippine waters. “Their insights and experiences have helped us identify and confirm the presence of the box jellyfish in areas that might otherwise be overlooked. This collaboration between scientists and Filipinos or tourists highlights the importance of community involvement in scientific research,” the team said. “Knowing the genetic diversity and distribution of C. yamaguchii helps in correctly identifying the jellyfish responsible for stings, which is crucial for effective treatment and management,” the biologists said. “Understanding the presence of jellyfish populations in various regions can also help assess the risk of jellyfish stings in those areas, which can protect local communities and tourists.” They added their findings can help healthcare workers treat sting cases, policymakers implement regulations and guidelines for beach safety, and lead to preventive measures like avoiding certain areas during peak jellyfish seasons and using protective gear. The research titled “Molecular signatures reveal intra-species divergence, undetectable by traditional morphology, in the deadly box jellyfish, Chironex yamaguchii (Cubozoa; Chirodropidae) of Western Pacific” was published in the international journal Regional Studies in Marine Science. The research team was composed of Dr. Sheldon Rey Boco, Christine Gloria Grace Capidos, and Dennis Talacay of The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project together with Raffy Jay Fornillos and Dr. Ian Kendrich Fontanilla of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Science’s Institute of Biology, Dr. Phuping Sucharitakul and Dr. Jonathan Lawley of Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science in Queensland, Australia; Dr. Allen Collins of Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC; Joseph Elliz Comendador of National Museum of Natural History of the National Museum of the Philippines; and Facundo Rey Ladiao of Leyte Normal University. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)
