According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ninh City, recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of the city received information reflecting on social networks about the appearance of "poisonous fire jellyfish" in the Hon Gai beach area (on Tran Quoc Nghien street) in Ha Long ward and many other sea areas in the city.
According to reports, the appearance of poisonous fire jellyfish may potentially pose a risk to the health and safety of people and tourists when participating in swimming, entertainment, and recreational activities.
Faced with that situation, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Ninh city has issued an official letter requesting the Oceanography Sub-Institute in Hai Phong to support the identification of scientific names, and provide information on the biological characteristics and toxicity of the sea jellyfish species appearing in the coastal area of Quang Ninh city.
According to the Oceanographic Sub-Institute in Hai Phong, based on the provided images and videos, the research team assessed and consulted with Japanese experts that this is Chrysaona sp. (Immeting Jellyfish/Fire Jellyfish) belonging to the Pelagiidae family, Semaeostomeae order, official Jellyfish class Scyphozoa.
The body of this jellyfish species is not large compared to many other official jellyfish species, the average diameter of individuals is usually around 15-20 cm. The parachute part of Chrysaora sp. is hemisphere-shaped or slightly flat, slightly transparent (semi-transparent) or pale yellow. On the outer surface of the parachute (exumbrella) there are usually dark brown star patterns with about 32 radiation rays.
The tentacles are long, usually 2-3 times the diameter of the parachute - This species is found to be distributed in most coastal waters of Vietnam.
During April-May, when other large jellyfish species prevail, these species are not numerous.
From June to August, when economic jellyfish such as white jellyfish and red jellyfish have disappeared after early-season rains, this jellyfish species appears and is sometimes distributed with very high density in water areas with quite high salinity in the rainy season, also up to more than 25‰ and a clearance of up to 3-4 m.
This is a jellyfish species that, according to actual data and references through documents, is a species that causes very strong itching for people who come into contact with them, causing a sharp pain, burning sensation like fire or being pinched by needles immediately upon contact, skin with red rashes and swelling.
Moreover, their appearance time and distribution areas are very close to the waters just outside the beaches in the coastal waters at the right time for swimming, wading and marine tourism activities. Therefore, this is a species whose time and distribution area have a great influence on tourism activities in tourist areas across the country.
