A rare sea slug has been discovered in seawater on the south coast near Southampton.

The Warty Doris (Doris verrucosa) was first found by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Shoresearcher volunteer Jenny Mallinson, while conducting a survey at Hythe.

Jenny’s sighting was verified as the first record of the species in the UK. 

Fellow Shoresearcher volunteer Helen Boyce then conducted her own beach search at Royal Victoria, 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 Warty Doris slug, which mainly lives under stones in the intertidal zone, gets its name from the tubercle shaped warts all over its body. 

Jenny Mallinson 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.”

Shoresearch is The Wildlife Trusts' national citizen science survey of the intertidal shore, and volunteers are trained to identify and record the wildlife on shores across the UK.

Shoresearch data has been key to designating many of our Marine Conservation Zones, and the discovery of Warty Doris is one of several exciting finds, including the first Hampshire Pacific oysters at Hamble in 2010.

Emily Stroud, Senior Engagement Officer at HIWWT, said: “It is a rare privilege to discover a first, whether for a site, county or the country. Congratulations to our Shoresearcher volunteers, whose data helps experts monitor our fragile sea life and better understand the effects of pollution, climate change, and invasive species.”