Researchers have found a new-to-science species of a tiny sea slug with black and yellow spots resembling “scattered sesame seeds.”
Measuring just three millimeters long (0.1 inches long), the researchers have named it Thecacera sesama, according to a recent study.
Study lead author Ho-Yeung Chan first spotted the sea slug during a recreational dive in the coastal waters of Keelung, northern Taiwan, in 2019. At the time, he was still an undergraduate student and did not realize the animal was unknown to science until he consulted an expert on Facebook, according to a statement.
To formally identify the species, researchers collected six specimens of the sea slug during diving expeditions conducted between May 2021 and June 2025. Between May and September, typhoons can make diving risky.
The research team then examined the specimens’ structure and appearance and analyzed their DNA to confirm that it was a new-to-science species.
