International and Citizen Collaboration Reveals Unexpected Biodiversity of Sea Slugs

DNA barcoding and large-scale surveys incorporating citizen science reveal a striking underestimation of marine biodiversity. Many species harbor cryptic lineages. This knowledge gap complicates ecological research, hinders conservation, and challenges early-career researchers, often lacking access to international materials for species discovery. Sea slugs are a hyperdiverse gastropod group whose similar morphology masks genetically distinct lineages, often treated as a single taxon. Resolving this diversity requires global collaboration.  Molecular work suggests that Ercolania Trinchese, 1872, is polyphyletic and historically a wastebin taxon, grouping unrelated lineages, requiring a complete taxonomic revision. This project relies on global collaboration to obtain specimens and conduct morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses. Specimens came from museum collections, university collections shared by colleagues, expeditions sponsored by France and New Caledonia, and citizen scientist contributions. This combined effort yielded over 30 undescribed taxa, especially from the South Pacific, resurrected forgotten species, and at least three new candidate genera.  Despite global collaboration, strict regulations and complex international permits still limit specimen access for students learning systematics. Support for programs like ASLO LOREX is essential; they provide early-career scientists access to otherwise inaccessible field sites and resources, enabling participation in global research and advancing our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem function.

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Primary Presenter: Roberto Ponce, California State University, Los Angeles (poncer.8575@gmail.com)

Authors:

Roberto Ponce, California State University, Los Angeles  (Poncer.8575@gmail.com)

Patrick Krug, California State University, Los Angeles  (pkrug@exchange.calstatela.edu)