NEWLY DISCOVERED SEA SLUG: MELANOCHLAMYS DROUPADI

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of head-shield sea slug along the Odisha and West Bengal coastlines, which has been named Melanochlamys Droupadi in honor of the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

1. Features: It is a small invertebrate, measuring up to 7 mm long, with a clear brownish-black color and a ruby ​​red spot on the posterior end.

• Invertebrate is any animal that lacks a vertebral column, or backbone, in contrast to the cartilaginous or bony vertebrates.
• More than 90 percent of all living animal species are invertebrates.
• Worldwide in distribution, they include animals as diverse as sea stars, sea urchins, earthworms, sponges, jellyfish, lobsters, crabs, insects, spiders, snails, clams, and squid.

2. Habitat: Prefers wet, soft sandy beaches.
3. Unique Characteristics: Bisexual nature, having both male and female reproductive organs; Secretes transparent mucus to prevent sand particles from entering its parapodial space; And moves forward leaving a mark like that of a turtle under the sand.
4. Significance: Represents a new addition to the Melanochlamys genus, showcasing the rich biodiversity of India's coastal regions.

Insight into Sea Slugs:

1. Definition: Sea slugs are slug-like marine mollusks that live in diverse marine habitats ranging from polar regions to the tropics to the intertidal zone to the deep sea.
2. Feeding Behavior: Primarily fast predators, they prey on creatures such as sea slugs, marine worms, roundworms and small fish.
3. Global Distribution: Currently, 18 sea slug species have been identified worldwide, primarily distributed in the temperate regions of the Indo-Pacific Oceanic region, with a few tropically distributed species like Melanochlamys papillata and Melanochlamys bengalensis.

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