Nudibranch gallery

Phylum Mollusca / Class Gastropoda / Order Nudibranchia

Nudibranchs belong to sea slugs. As all other gastropods, they are slow moving bottom dwellers. They have soft bodies and most of them lack an external protective shell. Their secondary gills are exposed outside, as reflected by their neo-latin/greek name "nudibranch" meaning "nude/naked gills". Some nudibranchs have numerous body projections (called "cerata") increasing the overall body surface and enhancing breathing. Nudibranchs carry a pair of horn-like cephalic tentacles or "rhinophores" at the front, that are used primarily as chemosensory organs (sensing chemicals). To protect themselves from predators many developed toxic or bad tasting glands in the skin, and their bright colors warn predators of their horrible taste. Aeolid nudibranchs developed another amazing strategy to protect themselves from predators. They extract nematocysts from the coelenterates on which they feed and store them in the special sacs at the tips of their ceratas called cnidosacs. Nematocysts, located in the specialized cells "nematocytes" of coelenterates, are the stinging weapons used for catching food and for defence. Aeolids steal these weapons and discharge them when needed in their own defence.

Nudibranchs possess fantastic coloration and color patterns. They deserve to be called gems of the sea and should inspire jewelry designers (they shouldn't be called "slugs"). Only some polyclad marine flatworms can rival their beauty, although the latter have simpler body architecture. Finding a new nudibranch is always a very special and exciting moment. Nature's boundless creativity, that produced these unpredictable forms and color patterns, keeps surprising and stimulating your imagination. Fortunately these animals are so diverse, that there is little risk that you will see all of them... and get bored.
Nudibranchs cannot be taken away or preserved - they loose their shape and colors. This protects the beautiful creatures from the risk of being fished out by tourists, collectors or for sale. The best way to bring a nudibranch home with you is to take a photograph. They cannot be kept in an aquarium because of their narrow dietary range and maybe other factors (microelements, system stability etc). Even in the sea they are more or less confined within special micro-environments, providing them with specific food and micro-conditions. Reconstructing such micro-environment artificially is a complex research challenge. Therefore, the best way to see them is in their natural habitat - the ocean.
Let's go diving...

Phylum Mollusca / Class Gastropoda / Order Nudibranchia Nudibranchs belong to sea slugs. As all other gastropods, they are slow moving bottom dwellers. They have soft bodies and most of them lack an external protective shell. Their secondary gills are exposed outside, as reflected by their neo-latin/greek name "nudibranch" meaning "nude/naked gills". Some nudibranchs have numerous body projections (called "cerata") increasing the overall body surface and enhancing breathing. Nudibranchs carry a pair of horn-like cephalic tentacles or "rhinophores" at the front, that are used primarily as chemosensory organs (sensing chemicals). To protect themselves from predators many developed toxic or bad tasting glands in the skin, and their bright colors warn predators of their horrible taste. Aeolid nudibranchs developed another amazing strategy to protect themselves from predators. They extract nematocysts from the coelenterates on which they feed and store them in the special sacs at the tips of their ceratas called cnidosacs. Nematocysts, located in the specialized cells "nematocytes" of coelenterates, are the stinging weapons used for catching food and for defence. Aeolids steal these weapons and discharge them when needed in their own defence. Nudibranchs possess fantastic coloration and color patterns. They deserve to be called gems of the sea and should inspire jewelry designers (they shouldn't be called "slugs"). Only some polyclad marine flatworms can rival their beauty, although the latter have simpler body architecture. Finding a new nudibranch is always a very special and exciting moment. Nature's boundless creativity, that produced these unpredictable forms and color patterns, keeps surprising and stimulating your imagination. Fortunately these animals are so diverse, that there is little risk that you will see all of them... and get bored. Nudibranchs cannot be taken away or preserved - they loose their shape and colors. This protects the beautiful creatures from the risk of being fished out by tourists, collectors or for sale. The best way to bring a nudibranch home with you is to take a photograph. They cannot be kept in an aquarium because of their narrow dietary range and maybe other factors (microelements, system stability etc). Even in the sea they are more or less confined within special micro-environments, providing them with specific food and micro-conditions. Reconstructing such micro-environment artificially is a complex research challenge. Therefore, the best way to see them is in their natural habitat - the ocean. Let's go diving...


Atagema intecta	Bornella stellifer	Bornella anguilla	Cadlinella ornatissima

Ceratosoma gracillimum	Ceratosoma trilobatum	Chelidonura punctata	Chromodoris annae

Chromodoris annulata	Chromodoris coi	Chromodoris conchyliata	Chromodoris decora

Chromodoris dianae	Chromodoris fidelis	Chromodoris geminus	Chromodoris geometrica

Chromodoris hintuanensis	Chromodoris kuniei	Chromodoris leopardus	Chromodoris magnifica

Chromodoris cf. reticulata / tinctoria	Chromodoris willani	Cuthona sibogae	Cuthona yamasui

Dendrodoris denisoni	Discodoris boholiensis	Elysia ornata	Flabellina rubrolineata

Glossodoris atromarginata	Glossodoris cruenta	Glossodoris sp.	Glossodoris stellatus

Glossodoris rufomarginata	Halgerda batangas	Halgerda tessellata	Hexabranchus sanguineus

Hypselodoris apolegma	Hypselodoris emma	Hypselodoris bullocki	Hypselodoris infucata

Hypselodoris kaname	Hypselodoris maculosa	Hypselodoris mouaci	Hypselodoris nigrostriata

Hypselodoris purpureomaculosa	Hoplodoris estrelyado	Jorunna funebris	Jorunna rubescens

Mexichromis multituberculata	Nembrotha cristata	Nembrotha kubaryana	Nembrotha lineolata

Nembrotha milleri	Notodoris serenae	Phestilla melanobrachia	Phidiana indica

Phyllidia cf. elegans	Phyllidia ocellata	Phyllidiopsis fissuratus	Phyllidiella zeylanica

Platydoris formosa	Pleurobranchus cf. forska	Pteraeolidia ianthina	Risbecia pulchella

Risbecia tryoni	Roboastra luteolineata	Tambja morosa	Tambja sp.

	Thecacera sp.	Unidentified 2

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