Scientists discover new (and curious) species of sea slug in England (Photo: Breeding / Cornwall Wildlife Trust)
Named after the 2 cm long multicolored sea slug Anatoni Babakina, discovered in the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall, England. A unique little animal from the nudibranch family has been spotted in the UK for the first time. Cornwall Wildlife Trust.
Prior to that, records of its presence appeared only a few times on the west coast of Spain and further south in the Atlantic. “It’s one of the most beautiful sea snails I’ve ever seen, and it’s less than half the size of your little finger. There’s still so much we don’t know about our marine environment,” said Matt Slater, marine conservation officer at Cornwall Wildlife Trust. In a statement.
Coast of Cornwall, England (Photo: Reproduction / Cornwall Wildlife Trust)
Nudibranchs, commonly known as sea snails, are soft-bodied marine animals that often have bright colors and different shapes. Their diet consists of seaweeds, anemones and other sea snails, as well as stinging cells on prey to defend themselves from predators.
“We can’t stop being amazed by the wildlife that pops up in the waters off the Isles of Scilly,” said Lucy McRobert, communications manager for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust. “From rare and beautiful nudibranchs to violet sea snails to humpbacks and baleen whales, every time we dive below the surface We learn and see something new.”
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