TheChelidonura hirundinina is not a nudibranch - still, this colourful headshield slug can grow up to 4 cm long, and lives in the western Indo-Pacific. See the little hairs around the edge of its head (closest to the camera)? Those are cilia, and are used as sensors to detect their prey: flatworms. This species is also known as the Swallowtail Headshield slug, because of its split back end.
this is a sea slug called the eastern emerald elysia!!!! they’re actually super cool and literally look like floating leaves
they’re also literally called “solar-powered slugs” because of the fact that they utilize solar powered energy in chloroplasts from the algae they eat!!!!
Today’s Sea Slug Sexy brought to you by the taxonomically talented and hilarious illustrator Sarah Klinger! Consider her your guide to naughty natural history and warped wordplay:
Liklik is a tongue slug who is licking Laboutei, the butt slug.
Brazieri is the bra slug. Naiki is trying to cover herself up.
Tethys fimbria is a dendronotid nudibranch related to the Melibegenus. With its oral veil extended, it can be over 20cm long! This nudibranch is able to swim by thrashing side to side, and when threatened can detach its spotted cerata - for a while, these cerata were actually considered a separate, parasitic species of flatworm due to how often they were found on their own!
Felimida luteorosea is a dorid nudibranch found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean near Europe. It can grow up to 5.5cm long and can be distinguished by its round yellow spots and yellow margin, unlike the widely varying colourations of some other Felimidaspecies.
Limacia cockerelli is a dorid nudibranch that grows to be about 2.5cm long and lives in intertidal and subtidal areas from Alaska to Mexico. Though the long papillae are similar to the cerata in aeolid nudibranchs, this species still has a tuft of gills on its back (not visible in the photo), characteristic of dorids.
Some Opisthobranchs evolved with textures and colors that mimick surrounding plants to avoid predators. Others, as seen especially well on the nudibranchs chromodorids, have an intensely bright and contrasting color pattern that makes them especially conspicuous in their surroundings. This is believed to be an example of aposematic coloration; the shockingly bright coloration which warns potential predators that their prey-to-be is distasteful or poisonous. (Photograph: Eric Cheng)
This is the Variable Neon Slug, scientific name Nembrotha Kubaryana. They are tropical sea slugs, found in the Indo-West Pacific ocean, mostly in the Philippines and Indonesia. They can grow to 12cm long, and can be several different colours. The margin of their foot and body are orange, their body usually has green stripes or spots, and their gills are red.
They do have toxins, however it is not lethal to humans and the slug is only capable of using them for defence rather than offence. Its used to ward off attacking predators.
It feeds on ascidians, a marine filter-feeder with a tough outer tunic made of polysaccharide that can grow to 10cm. Bigger ones are usually attacked and ate by groups of the neon slug.
Their rhinopores have a distinct red colour and serve the same purpose as in Sea Bunnies and Leaf Sheep - to sense chemicals in the water to find food and mates. Their gills are usually in the middle of their backs, which is distinctly different from a lot of other species who have their gills on the end of their back, almost like a tail.
The Nembrotha Kubaryana is often mixed up with the Nembrotha Cristata, however these species lack an orange margin on their base or foot.
