Jelly-like and Transparent... Tropical Marine Organism Discovered for the First Time in Jeju

A Marine Organism Mainly Inhabiting Tropical Regions
Suspected to Be 'Carinaria cristata'

A marine organism that inhabits the deep sea in tropical regions has been discovered for the first time off the coast of Jeju. On May 29, Yonhap News reported, citing an announcement from the Jeju Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, that Carinaria cristata, which mainly lives in the open waters of the Pacific Ocean, was found in the waters off Gimnyeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City on May 26. Previously, the influencer 'Jejunolmi' and their group discovered this marine organism while paddleboarding off the coast of Segial Beach in Gimnyeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City on May 26, after it became caught on their paddle. In a YouTube video filmed at the time of the initial sighting, they commented, "Transparent fish that usually appear in tropical regions are now being seen in Jeju as well."

The marine organism Carinaria cristata, which inhabits the deep sea in tropical regions, has been discovered for the first time off the coast of Jeju. Jeju Marine Fisheries Research Institute

According to the research institute, the recently discovered Carinaria cristata was confirmed to be 30 cm in length and approximately 350 g in weight. This marine organism is a marine mollusk belonging to the class Gastropoda, characterized by a translucent and streamlined body. Its body is composed of gelatinous tissue, and it is known to swim and float using a sail-shaped foot attached to its ventral side. It mainly inhabits depths ranging from several tens to several hundreds of meters in tropical and subtropical seas and feeds on plankton. During the day, it is generally known to descend to deeper waters, making its discovery along the coast of Jeju an extremely rare occurrence.

The recently discovered Carinaria Cristata was confirmed to be 30 cm in length and approximately 350 g in weight. This marine organism is a marine mollusk belonging to the class Gastropoda, characterized by a translucent and streamlined body. Jeju Marine and Fisheries Research Institute

A representative from the Jeju Marine and Fisheries Research Institute told Yonhap News, "Although the ecosystem of the Jeju sea is warming due to climate change, this appears to be an isolated event." The representative added, "We estimate that this marine organism was carried to the waters off Jeju by ocean currents by chance." They also stated, "Fortunately, the discovered organism is not believed to be harmful to humans. However, if you come across unfamiliar marine life along the coast, please do not touch it as it may be toxic, and report it to the research institute." The Jeju Marine and Fisheries Research Institute has decided to preserve the organism by keeping it frozen, as it was found dead.