Today I Learned: Several Species of Deadly Box Jellyfish Exist in the Philippines

Beachgoers in the Philippines often worry about stepping on sea urchins, getting bitten by a sea snake, or getting stung by a jellyfish. For the latter, we even have a ridiculous—and definitely not medically sound—solution: peeing on the wound. This is obviously a recipe for disaster, as you're just pouring bacteria onto open flesh. It’s about time we get serious about jellyfish, science says so.

In a paper published on Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences in October 2025, marine researchers have documented several newly recorded box jellyfish species in the Philippines, marking a vital contribution to the country’s growing database of marine biodiversity. The team is composed of Dr. Sheldon Rey Boco and Christine Gloria Grace Capidos of The Philippine Jellyfish Stings Project; Russel Christine Corcino and Dr. Lemnuel Aragones of the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UPD-CS IESM); Dr. Phuping Sucharitakul of the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute in Western Australia; Ram Yoro of RY Photography; Dennis Corpuz of Anilao Critters Studio; and Scott Tuason of Squires Sports Philippines. The paper is titled: "New and First Records of Carybdeids Including Irukandji Box Jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa; Carybdeida) in the Coral Triangle (the Philippines)."

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Their findings include the first Philippine records of Alatina alata, Carybdea cuboides, Malo sp., and Morbakka virulenta, as well as new records for Copula sivickisi and Malo filipina. It validates previous reports of the occurrence of members of carybdeid box jellyfish in the country’s waters made through preserved specimens, and more importantly, better understands cases of Irukandji syndrome.

Characterized by intense pain, nausea, vomiting, hypertension, and even "a sense of impending doom" (Piontek et al. 2023), Irukandji syndrome was first recognized and identified by Australian researcher Hugo Flecker and eventually linked to the box jellyfish species Carukia barnesi by another Australian researcher, Jack Barnes. In the Philippines, cases of Irukandji syndrome in Manila Bay have been recorded, and these pose potential health risks.

"Why bother studying them? Three reasons," Boco said in a press statement. "They’re part of the marine food chain, and their presence or absence can indicate the condition of marine ecosystems. They eat smaller creatures and are food for bigger ones, helping keep everything in check. And many carybdeids have venom strong enough to send people to the hospital. Figuring out how that venom works could lead to better treatments and save lives."

For their research, Boco's team combined on-site observations, using high-resolution underwater photography and videography, with citizen science initiatives that were verified through digital authentication.

"Studying carybdeids in their natural habitat proved extremely challenging, largely because these jellyfish live in hard-to-reach places. Most species, except for a few, like the Philippine carybdeid Copula sivickisi, dwell in offshore waters at least 100 meters from shore and in depths of 20 to 30 meters," Dr. Boco explained. The team focused on observing the adult medusa stage—the jellyfish’s visible swimming form. Blackwater dives over open water were conducted from 2017 to 2021 and in 2024.

And since the team can only dive so much, they needed the help of recreational divers, some of whom also happen to be underwater photographers.

"We also gathered photos and videos from recreational divers through citizen science. This approach introduced a new hurdle: proving the images were genuine. With artificial intelligence now capable of creating convincing fake jellyfish pictures, we treated each submission like evidence in an investigation," Boco added. To make sure that the materials they have collected are not fake, they examined metadata, lighting, water conditions, and anatomical details. This required patience and time, as sorting real photos from potential forgeries is essential.

"Our goal is to collect high-quality jellyfish sightings with the least amount of required information, so people can report observations in seconds without filling out long forms. This way, more participants can contribute quickly, and we still gather the key data needed for solid research. We also want to improve our nighttime blackwater dives," Boco noted.

This process also highlighted the critical role of citizen science in taxonomic studies, especially in collecting visuals for live morphology and examining trends of distribution.

"Continued efforts in this area are essential for monitoring and conserving marine biodiversity and assessing potential harmful impacts during human-cubozoan interactions," their paper concluded. Their group hopes to predict where these jellyfish species will appear now and in the future, not just in the Philippines but also across nearby seas.

Reference: Boco, S. R., Corcino, R. C., Capidos, C. G., Sucharitakul, P., Yoro, R., Corpuz, D., Tuason, S., & Aragones, L. V. (2025). New and first records of Carybdeids including Irukandji box jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa; Carybdeida) in the coral triangle (the Philippines). Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences, 41(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-025-00970-9

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