A new study reveals how dazzling sea slugs selectively stockpile poison to kill their enemies.
By Vicki Croke
Scientists have known for some time that sea slugs are stunning beauties in the literal sense—the often brightly-colored creatures use chemical weapons to take out creatures who threaten them. According to a release from the University of Queensland, they slurp up “deadly chemicals and [stockpile] the most toxic compounds for use on their enemies.”
But now, according to a new study published in the online journal PLOS One, researchers know more precisely which toxin is selected by sea slugs to keep at the ready.
The study’s scientists, led by UQ’s Dr. Karen Cheney, examined five species of nudibranchs, or sea slugs, living in the Great Barrier Reef and South East Queensland, Australia.
“Science has known that many sea slugs obtain toxins from what they are eating, such as sponges, but in our study we found they selected only one toxin to store a particularly toxic compound called Latrunculin A. Toxicity tests demonstrated that even the smallest amounts of the compound killed brine shrimp.”
Like some frogs and butterflies who signal to others that they are toxic, many sea slugs possess chemical defenses and they show off dazzling colors.
The sea slug who went viral: This Jorunna parva or “sea bunny” video was a hit last summer. Courtesy: ダイブストアエグザイル/YouTube.
Dr. Cheney said, “However, we still are learning if colour patterns are related to the strength of their chemical defences. We are investigating whether the most brightly coloured sea slugs are the most toxic, and also whether cryptic sea slugs that blend in with their environment also contain strong toxic defences.”