In collaboration with international experts, Curtin University researchers are embarking on a groundbreaking mission to uncover the hidden world of marine slugs along Western Australia’s northern coastline. Specifically, they are focusing on the Onchidiidae, a group of air-breathing slugs that play a crucial role in coastal ecosystems.

These elusive slugs live in rocky and muddy shores, venturing out during low tide to feed and reproduce. Despite their abundance, they have remained largely undocumented along Australia’s coastlines until now.

Adjunct Professor Benoît Dayrat from Pennsylvania State University, who is collaborating with Curtin University, highlighted the significance of this research in filling a crucial knowledge gap. The northern coastline of WA is teeming with biodiversity, comparable to the Great Barrier Reef, yet many species, like the Onchidiidae family, have eluded thorough study. By focusing on these seemingly unassuming slugs, researchers hope to unravel valuable insights into coastal ecosystems and their conservation.

Part of the eDGES (eDNA for Global Environmental Studies) partnership between Curtin University and BHP, the project involves advanced techniques like DNA sequencing and specimen preservation. So far, specimens have been collected from locations such as Carnarvon, Learmonth, Port Hedland, and Broome, with plans for further field studies in Dampier and Onslow.