Aussie students thrilled after 'rarely-ever seen' creature appears at beach
There are just 40 known records of the creature being spotted in the whole of Australia.
A beach trip for an Aussie school's paddle boarding team ended in an ultra-rare discovery after the group stumbled across an extremely elusive creature not normally seen above ground.
Students from St Augustine's School in Coffs Harbour, NSW, enjoyed "even more excitement than usual" while "paddling the estuarine waters of Boambee Bay Reserve" on Friday when they uncovered a pink mangrove lobster (laomedia healyi).
There are just 40 known records of the creature being spotted in the whole of Australia, according to official data, and between Newcastle and the Gold Coast, only three have been found — making this "a significant find".
Students stunned as elusive creature appears on Aussie beach
"Strong winds drove us ashore and resulted in an exploratory expedition amongst the mangroves which turned up an assortment of creatures," staff from St Augustine's School wrote online.
"These included soldier crabs, mud whelks and an exciting discovery which elicited more than one scream from the students. [Student] Mimka was the initial 'discoverer' of what turned out to be a rare sight: a Pink Mangrove Lobster (Laomedia healyi)."
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Professor Shane T Ahyong, senior principal research scientist and manager at the Australian Museum Research Institute, confirmed the sighting was exceptional.
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"[It's] a pink mangrove lobster with missing claws," he said. "Laomedia are rarely seen because they live in deep burrows in mangrove estuaries, so you have a lucky find."
Lobster 'rarely-seen' above ground
Online, people were equally as impressed.
"Wow! That's an amazing find," one woman wrote. "How cool is that!" exclaimed another. "Magic," said a third.
According to Queensland Museum, the creatures are "clawed, burrow-dwelling animals that seem to be half-shrimp and half-lobster". The crustaceans occur in a wide variety of habitats, from the intertidal zone to the deep sea — 2,500 metres or more.
"Some species burrow in estuarine mud banks (like the well-known marine Yabby or Ghost Nipper), while others live commensally in sponges and coral cavities. All are expert burrowers, and rarely seen unless hunted or accidentally disturbed," it said.
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