HKBU Discovers New Soft Coral Species in Hong Kong and Zhuhai Waters During Exploration of Greater Bay Area’s Marine Biodiversity

Marine biologists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have identified two new soft coral species, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov, from the urban waters of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Zhuhai. With these additions, the number of known species in their respective genus, Parasphaerasclera and Paraminabea, has increased to 11, with Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. being the first of its kind reported from the China Seas.

New soft corals species: Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. Photo source: HKBU

Soft coral taxonomy is challenging because different species can closely resemble one another in appearance, and genetic data are limited. In the China Seas, only four digitate or lobate soft coral species in the genus Paraminabea had been documented before this study.

Professor Qiu Jianwen, Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU, who led the research team, said, “The study expands what we know about soft coral diversity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It also shows that even in urbanised waters, significant cryptic biodiversity remains to be documented and protected.”

Since 2023, Professor Qiu’s team has collected eight coral colonies at about 15 to 25 metres depth from the rocky reefs off Hong Kong’s Sung Kong Island and Zhuhai’s Heizhou Island. Among these colonies, they have identified two new species, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov., for the first time worldwide.

Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. was discovered in the waters off Hong Kong’s Sung Kong Island. It displays bright orange-red colour and forms colonies that are digitiform in shape with a conspicuous stalk and branches. Usually found scattered on boulders with other coral species, it is characterised by the presence of stalk sclerites including spindle-shaped elements such as rare tuberculated spindles. This marks the first discovery of a Parasphaerasclera species in Hong Kong.

A colony of Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. with extended tentacles. Photo source: HKBU

Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. is found in the waters of both Hong Kong and Zhuhai. It is the third Paraminabea species discovered in Hong Kong over the past 15 years. Attached to the rock surfaces in the sea, it forms colonies that are yellow or orange in colour with long polyps. It has unique sclerites including tuberculated spheroids, and was misidentified in the past as another coral species.

New soft coral species Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. in the field. Photo source: HKBU

The HKBU research team identified these two new coral species using integrative taxonomy, an approach that combines morphological and genetic data for species delimitation. They worked out the DNA sequencing of the species and clarified their evolutionary relationships: Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. is sister to an Australian coral species while Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. is sister to a Hong Kong local species. Their genetic and morphological distinctions from these sister species justify the recognition of these new species.

New soft coral species Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. in laboratory. Photo source: HKBU

In addition, the team also assembled the mitochondrial genomes (mitochondrion is an essential organelle found in cells which generates chemical energy to support cell activities) of the two new species, as well as another species of digitate soft coral (Paraminabea rubeusa) discovered in Hong Kong, providing genetic data to calculate the genetic distances of soft corals. Professor Qiu said, “Our research highlights the value of integrative taxonomy in identifying soft corals with similar appearance and provides new mitochondrial genomic resources to advance their taxonomy in the Indo-Pacific.”

Led by Professor Qiu, members of the research team include Dr Li Yixuan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow; Loke Haixin, PhD student; Janice Ng Wing-yan, undergraduate student of the Department of Biology at HKBU; and Professor Liu Lan, Professor of the School of Marine Sciences at Sun Yat‑sen University. The research findings have been published in the international journal Ecology and Evolution.

A research team led by Professor Qiu Jianwen (left), with members including Dr Li Yixuan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow (middle) and Loke Haixin, PhD student (right) of the Department of Biology at HKBU, discovered two new species of soft corals, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov., from the waters of Hong Kong and Zhuhai respectively. Photo source: HKBU

Corals are commonly divided into hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals have received more attention because they build reefs, which are essential for marine habitats and are highly sensitive to environmental threats. A total of 90 hard coral species have been recorded in Hong Kong. Soft corals are flexible, do not build reefs, and often thrive in habitats unsuitable for hard corals. Prior surveys found only 29 species in Hong Kong, with limited genetic data available.

Hong Kong Customs' "Clear Sky" operation combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and related illicit cigarette storage centres

Hong Kong Customs mounted an enforcement operation codenamed "Clear Sky" to combatillicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and related illicit cigarette storage centres between March 3 and today (March 11), and cracked down on a transnational syndicate that smuggled illicit cigarettes through air passengers. A total of about 10.9 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $49 million and a duty potential of about $36 million were seized. Thirty persons connected with the cases were arrested.

In response to the trend that illicit cigarette syndicates have been making use of air passengers to smuggle illicit cigarettes, Customs strengthened enforcement against the smuggling of illicit cigarettes at the airport and related storage centres.

During the operation, Customs detected 18 illicit cigarette smuggling cases involving passengers at the airport and seized a total of about 800 000 suspected illicit cigarettes. Eighteen passengers, aged between 29 and 63 and arriving in Hong Kong from the East and Southeast Asian regions, were arrested.

Following intelligence analyses and in-depth investigations of the cases, Customs discovered that a cigarette smuggling syndicate had been using industrial buildings and remote metal huts as storage and distribution centres. The illicit cigarettes would berepackaged and subsequently supplied to the local area or transported to logistics centres for transshipment to regions with higher tobacco duties for profit.

Customs then mounted a series of enforcement actions in the city and raided a total of five suspected illicit cigarette storage centres in four industrial building units in Tuen Mun and Kwai Chung and one metal hut in San Tin. A total of about 10.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes were seized and 12 persons, aged between 33 and 66, were arrested.

Twenty of the arrestees have beeen charged with dealing with or possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes, or failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Moreover, in the fourth quarter of 2025, Customs arrested 49 persons for smuggling in illicit cigarettes at the airport, and 47 of them were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment terms of between four weeks and nine months at the Magistrates' Courts. Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

It is believed that the supply chain of illicit cigarettes has been effectively intercepted at the source and disrupted within the territory. Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analyses for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to vigorously combat illicit cigarette activities.

Under the DCO, any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs' "Clear Sky" operation combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs' "Clear Sky" operation combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs' "Clear Sky" operation combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases