Citizen scientists collect data on Sydney sea slugs

The first Sydney Sea Slug Census (SSC), coordinated by the Underwater Research Group of NSW (URG), will be held on Saturday, November 7 and involve dozens of divers in multiple locations. The census will collect data and photographs of these spectacular sea creatures, also known as nudibranchs.

This event follows on from a series of successful SSCs in Port Stephens over the past two years. The program, which is led by Southern Cross University, has already documented range extensions for more than 20 species and the presence of two introduced species.

“The popularity of sea slugs with recreational divers makes them an obvious choice for citizen science programs documenting marine biodiversity,” Associate Professor Steve Smith, from Southern Cross University's National Marine Science Centre, said.

“The two-year program at Port Stephens unambiguously demonstrates the value of recreational photographers in documenting Australia’s marine biodiversity and the effects of climate change.”

John Turnbull, URG President, said: “Sydney has an amazing array of marine life, and our sea slugs are no exception. We typically see several species on a dive, and we have seen some unusual species in recent years. URG is pleased to be coordinating this event and providing much-needed data for scientists.”

“Hundreds of divers explore a variety of sites in Sydney every week,” said Rianti Bieler, URG coordinator of the event. “Their potential to add to our knowledge of local biodiversity is immense and we are hoping for a great turn-out on the day.”

The census is expected to involve dozens of volunteers, who will be gathering information over a 24-hour period. Dives will continue into the night, as different species appear at this time. Divers are free to dive anywhere in Sydney, however many are expected to converge on the popular sea slug hotspot, Bare Island at La Perouse. This is also where the overall coordination of the event will take place.

More information is available online at Sydney Sea Slug Census.

The Sydney Sea Slug Census is also one of the events of Southern Cross University's Research Week, which started on Monday.

Photo: A Splendid nudibranch (Goniobranchus splendidus), taken by Associate Professor Stephen Smith. More photos available on request.