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Researchers Describe Tiny 'Sesame' Sea Slug From Northern Taiwan

The formal paper confirms a new under-3‑millimetre nudibranch that appears to feed on a single, possibly undescribed bryozoan and points to more hidden micro‑biodiversity off Keelung.

Overview

  • Lead author Ho‑Yeung Chan first spotted the tiny nudibranch while diving in 2019 and later confirmed it was new after consulting a sea‑slug expert online.
  • Researchers collected specimens between May 2021 and June 2025 from 18–30 metres at Mother Rock Bay and documented color and behavior in situ.
  • The species was formally described in the open‑access journal ZooKeys on 11 May 2026 using morphology and genetic markers including 16S rDNA and COI.
  • Observations show the slug reaches under 3 millimetres, is translucent with black and yellow 'sesame' spots, displays four main behaviours, and was seen eating a single bryozoan species.
  • Unstable weather limits dives on the Keelung coast to about four months a year, so scientists say more tiny, hard‑to‑find marine species likely remain to be discovered and the bryozoan host still needs formal study.