Great Lakes sea slug enthusiast Karen Love was excited to find what she believed to be a rose-petal bubble shell sea slug in Wallis Lake recently, while going for an early morning swim.
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“I was in the water near the boat ramp in Tuncurry, at the swimming spot there when I saw it,” Karen said.
“Sea slugs are a good indication of marine health, and this particular species has been thought to be in decline in Sydney Harbour.
“I became interested and learned about sea slugs on a trip to the Northern Territory in 2011.
“When I saw this one in the water I looked it up to see what sort it was.
“A similar one was found in Port Stephens last year and people were pretty excited about it because this type of sea slug has been believed to be on the decline.
“Sea slugs were one of the first big trade items in Australia, they are a big part of our history that no one really knows much about.
“The Macassans came in the 1700s in search of the trepang, sea cucumber or sea slug.”
Despite returning to same spot she saw the slug every day since, Karen hasn’t been able to find it again.
“I’ve lived in the area for 30 years, and I’ve never seen one of these before,” she said.
The shell of a rose-petal bubble shell sea slug may measure up to 60 millimetres in length, but is far too small or fragile to offer much protection for the animal, which can measure up to 120 millimetres. The Rose Petal Bubble Snail is most commonly encountered in shallow water bays during its breeding season.