Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust volunteer discovers rare sea slug Warty Doris off Hythe

A RARE sea slug has been discovered in the waters off Hythe.

The Warty Doris (Doris verrucosa) was found by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust shore-searcher volunteer Jenny Mallinson while conducting a survey.

It is the first verified recording of the species in the UK.

The Warty Doris slug, which mainly lives under stones in the intertidal zone, gets its name from the tubercle shaped warts all over its body.

It is generally found in areas with soft sediment, like lagoons, in regions around France, Belgium, Spain and into the Mediterranean, Adriatic and west Atlantic.

Jenny said: “Seven tenths of our planet is seawater, with new species being discovered all the time.

“What is exciting is that simply by going to our local beach at low tide, we could all make such discoveries.”

Shore-searcher volunteer Helen Boyce has also conducted her own beach search at Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, and found three more specimens, extending the sea slug’s known range within the Solent estuary.

Helen is now conducting further searches at other sites to help Jenny establish how widespread the species is.

The wildlife trust’s senior engagement officer, Emily Stroud, said: “It is a rare privilege to discover a first, whether for a site, county or the country.

“Congratulations to our shore-searcher volunteers, whose data helps experts monitor our fragile sea life and better understand the effects of pollution, climate change, and invasive species.”