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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Citizen Scientists Record Significant Range Extensions for Tropical Sea Slug Species in Subtropical Eastern Australia
Diversity, Vol.14(4), pp.1-14
27/03/2022
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Abstract
The Sea Slug Census program in Australia engages with citizen scientists to record the diversity and distribution of sea slugs across multiple locations. The program has consistently recorded shifts in distribution patterns but a recent, nine-day census in subtropical eastern Australia recorded unprecedented range extensions of tropical species. Seven species (six chromodorids and one polycerid) were found further south of their previously known distribution with Hypselodoris bertschi being recorded for the first time in Australia. These observations suggested the recent transport of larvae via the East Australian Current with recruitment to coastal sites possibly promoted by a protracted period of strong onshore winds associated with the 2021/22 La Niña in the western Pacific. With the increasing frequency of poleward range extensions of marine taxa, citizen science programs such as the Sea Slug Census provide the opportunity to substantially increase monitoring efforts. Linking with iNaturalist strengthens the value of the observations through online peer review to confirm species identities as well as the incorporation of substantiated (Research Grade) records into international biodiversity databases such as GBIF.
Details
- Title
- Citizen Scientists Record Significant Range Extensions for Tropical Sea Slug Species in Subtropical Eastern Australia
- Creators
- Stephen D A Smith - Southern Cross UniversityMatt J Nimbs - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Diversity, Vol.14(4), pp.1-14
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Identifiers
- 991013014098302368
- Copyright
- © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science; National Marine Science Centre
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article