Nudibranchs

Scientific name : Nudibranchia

Nudibranchia (literally: naked, exposed gills). A group with extremely high diversity, with many species living in the same environment sharing the available resources, each one specialized in exploitation of one or few preys. They have various shapes and colours, usually external gills, cylinder shaped rhinophores with a spiral slit. Nudibranches are furtherly divided into 4 sub-orders: Doridacea, the more common, have a large gill tuft on the back, except members of the family Phyllididae (identified by the hard and warthy mantle). The gills can be retracted, especially when the animal is disturbed. Wait for the snail to be calm, before saying that it has no gills. Aeolidacea, have no gills and back elongated processes, in rows or in clusters, called cerata. The 2 remaining suborders are less abundant: Dendronotacea have rhinophores that can be withdrawn in a sheath. Arminacea have a cephalic veil, feature not always easy to see. For other features, in those latter groups we find animals similar to aeolidacea or to Doridacea. If you have a nudibranch that can not be found amongst Doridacea nor amongst Aeolidacea, try to look for it here. Note: The majority of sea slugs, poorly known by the masses and almost not used by man (except one species that is edible and is eaten by Aleutinian native and by Kurili island inhabitants, and the use of sea hares in Chinese popular medicine), therefore normally they have no popular names. We will refer to those popular names that are commonly used, but for most species we will use only the scientific name, rather than inventing a new one.