'Blue-lined Octopus with Poison 10 Times Stronger than Cyanide' Also Appears in the East Sea

Discovered Over 20 Times Since 2012
Relatively Small Body with Blue on Back and Arms
Fishermen and Residents Visiting Beaches Urged to Exercise Caution

The "Paranseonmuno," known for its strong venom, has been found more than 20 times in South Korea since 2012, according to a recent investigation.

It is believed that the habitat of the Paranseonmuno has expanded to the East Coast due to global warming. Therefore, special caution is required from citizens visiting the beaches.

According to a paper recently published by a research team from the National Institute of Fisheries Science in the international journal "Toxins," the Paranseonmuno (Hapalochlaena fasciata), belonging to the genus Hapalochlaena, was first discovered in the Jeju area in 2012 and has been reported a total of 26 times in South Korea up to 2021.

Blue-ringed octopus. (Photo by National Institute of Fisheries Science)

This is the first comprehensive summary of Paranseonmuno sightings in South Korea.

By year, the sightings were ▲1 time in 2018 ▲5 times in 2019 ▲4 times in 2020 ▲8 times in 2021, showing an increase in recent years. Additionally, the appearance of subtropical species has also been confirmed to be increasing near the coast of Dokdo.

The Paranseonmuno is one of the four species in the genus Hapalochlaena known to science, and species of this genus inhabit tropical and subtropical waters such as Southeast Asia and Australia. In regions like Southeast Asia, there have been numerous reports of harm to humans, so caution is necessary.

The Paranseonmuno is relatively small in size, with iridescent blue markings on its back and arms, and carries tetrodotoxin (TTX), a neurotoxin with a potency ten times that of cyanide. High concentrations of this toxin have been detected in its salivary glands, and experts believe this venom serves to paralyze its prey.

It appears that special caution is needed as the blue-lined octopus has been found more than 30 times in South Korea since 2012.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The research team explained that Paranseonmuno sightings have been reported across a wide area from Yeosu in Jeollanam-do to Gijang in Busan along the southern coast, and recently they have been frequently observed off the coast of Ulsan in the East Sea.

They added, "Many of the cases were not professional fishermen or researchers, and if someone touches the Paranseonmuno out of curiosity and gets bitten, it is not fatal but can cause significant injury," and emphasized, "It is necessary to continuously urge citizens to be cautious to prevent accidental bites."

Meanwhile, there was an incident in 2015 where a person was bitten by a Paranseonmuno in South Korea. The victim was not fatally harmed but experienced swelling, pain, and paralysis in the bitten finger, along with dizziness for several days.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.