A DIFFERENT kind of angel is lurking on the Macquarie Coast's beaches, waiting to snare the unsuspecting.
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The glaucus atlanticus, or blue angel slug, has a beautiful, radiant colour but it comes with a nasty surprise.
The mollusc packs a poisonous sting which is similar to that of the Portugese man o' war, commonly known as a bluebottle.
Port Macquarie's Zac Carney was walking his dog at Lighthouse Beach on Wednesday and came across some of the species washed up on the sand.
"I have never seen these around this area and did not know they existed in this area," he told the Port News.
National Parks ranger Andy Marshall said the specimens seen by Mr Carney were likely dead or dying.
The sea slugs are pelagic, which means they float along using the surface tension of the water.
Another cunning feature is their ability for camoflauge: the blue side of their body faces upwards and blends in with the water's colour, while their silver side faces down to match sea's silvery surface.
Mr Marshall said the sea slugs often arrive on beaches with bluebottles, which they prey upon with interesting results.
"They can actually store the bluebottle's poison in their own stinging cells, concentrate it and then recycle it," he said.
"It's bizarre they can process and recycle their prey."
He warned beach goers to keep a safe distance of the sea slugs in the water or on the sand.
"If they wash up they are probably benign, but don't take the chance of going too close.
"Admire them but leave them alone."