Extremely Venomous Blue Sea Slugs on NC Outer Banks

  • Thread starter Thread starter nycfan
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies: 21
  • Views: 276
  • Off-Topic 

nycfan

Curator/Moderator
ZZL Supporter
Messages
9,296


They feed on Man-O-War jelly fish and concentrate the ingested venom into an even more toxic sting.
 

“Venomous sea slugs have been spotted along North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Known as blue sea dragons, these slugs live in the ocean and occasionally get washed ashore by strong winds.

A Facebook post by the Cape Hatteras National Seashore advises visitors to admire the creatures from a safe distance and to be cautious that more could be nearby because they can travel in groups.
https://fox40.com/news/national-and...ean-in-a-week-on-north-carolinas-outer-banks/
The slugs are only one-inch long, and primarily feed on the highly-venomous Portuguese man o’ war jellyfish. They are capable of storing the jellyfish venom for their own defense.

It should be noted that blue sea dragons remain venomous even after they are dead. …”
 
So if someone does touch them, how much trouble are they in?

Are we talking an owwie on your foot or a trip to the hospital or is the person in danger of dying?
 
So if someone does touch them, how much trouble are they in?

Are we talking an owwie on your foot or a trip to the hospital or is the person in danger of dying?
From what I’ve read, “JFC, that stings for way longer and worse than a jelly fish , I feel dizzy, I am going to vomit”
 
So if someone does touch them, how much trouble are they in?

Are we talking an owwie on your foot or a trip to the hospital or is the person in danger of dying?
One sting from this little guy can lead to nausea, pain, vomiting, acute allergic contact dermatitis, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Should you ever come in contact with one, look, admire, be appropriately awed, but do not touch!

They'll eat pretty much anything and they'll also eat themselves, and that's possibly one reason that we see such a huge variation in the levels in TTX between slugs. We like to say that the sea slug is New Zealand's most toxic animal – we know that there's enough TTX in one slug to kill four adult humans
 
Last edited:
One sting from this little guy can lead to nausea, pain, vomiting, acute allergic contact dermatitis, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Should you ever come in contact with one, look, admire, be appropriately awed, but do not touch!

They'll eat pretty much anything and they'll also eat themselves, and that's possibly one reason that we see such a huge variation in the levels in TTX between slugs. We like to say that the sea slug is New Zealand's most toxic animal – we know that there's enough TTX in one slug to kill four adult humans
Dont Like Aidy Bryant GIF by Saturday Night Live
 
One sting from this little guy can lead to nausea, pain, vomiting, acute allergic contact dermatitis, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Should you ever come in contact with one, look, admire, be appropriately awed, but do not touch!

They'll eat pretty much anything and they'll also eat themselves, and that's possibly one reason that we see such a huge variation in the levels in TTX between slugs. We like to say that the sea slug is New Zealand's most toxic animal – we know that there's enough TTX in one slug to kill four adult humans
Sounds unpleasant.
 
Nudibranches are amazing. The colors absolutely blow your mind. Calling it a “sea slug” is crude and undignified 🤣
Agree. Seen them up close in a couple of spots in California - it had a kind of kaleidoscope mesmerizing effect. They can look a bit disgusting, too.
 
Back
Top