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Rare multi-coloured sea slug spotted in UK for first time
Image source, Allen Murray
A rare sea slug has been spotted near Cornwall in the south-west of England.
It's believed to be the first sighting of the multi-coloured creature in the UK.
The sea animal is just 2 centimetres long and was found by a diver off the coast of the Isles of Scilly earlier this month.
According to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the slug has only been seen a handful of times worldwide!
Image source, Getty Images
The sea animal is a member of the aeolid nudibranch sea slug family, which are known for their bright colours and unusual shapes.
Before now, the slug has mainly been spotted along the west coast of Spain and further south in the Atlantic Ocean.
The rare discovery has excited local experts.
Matt Slater from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust called it "one of the prettiest sea slugs I've seen" and was amazed it was spotted at all "given it's less than half the size of your little finger."
Lucy McRobert from the nearby Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust said: "We never cease to be amazed at the wildlife turning up in Scillonian waters.
"From rare and beautiful nudibranchs to violet sea snails to great whales like humpbacks and fins, every time we dive beneath the surface we learn and see something new."