Aww! Cute sea slugs with ‘bunny’ ears enchant Japan (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

17 Jul, 2015 16:28 / Updated 9 years ago

Sea slugs have suddenly turned into a source of admiration for Japanese fans of all things nice. Dubbed “sea bunnies” for a loveable appearance, the sea creatures have become an internet sensation.

The Jorunna genus of sea creatures can be found in the Pacific Ocean, and it was Japan where the slugs were rediscovered and got their share of attention. An outbreak of sea slugs, nudibranchs and marine gastropods in the Japanese Twitter scene may seem surprising, but that’s only at first sight.

Jorunna parva, a creature less than two cm long, with fluffy coats, tiny “ears” and a velvet “tail”, has been nicknamed a “sea bunny” in the country, well-known for its love of "kawaii,” or "cute,” and the motherland of Hello Kitty.

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Japanese social media users have been sharing photos of the ethereal creature saying that they “have fallen in love,” comparing it to Pikachu or a “snow rabbit coated in salt and sesame.”

The Japanese name for Jorunna parva is “gomafu biroodo umiushi,” which can be translated as “black speckled velvet sea slug.” But it has another, far less official name, as divers call it “goma-chan,” or “Miss Sesame.”