Pink Nudibranch

Whale, hello there! 

This cute little guy is a pink nudibranch (NEW-dih-brank). Him and many of his fellows also sport brilliant colors and eye-catching patterns on their skin. In fact, this sticky slug is often considered one of the most beautiful animals in the world. Over 3,000 species of nudibranchs exist, and most live in shallow, tropical waters. Their sizes range from less than a cm to 30 cm long and can weigh up to 1.5 kg. Nudibranchs have a set of curved teeth, which they use to eat coral, sponges, and fish eggs off the ocean floor but their meals don’t just satisfy their hunger — the food also gives them their gorgeous colorings. Some nudibranchs also absorb toxins from certain prey and secrete the poison from their own skin. This allows them to fend off enemies such as fish.

So the nudibranch is stunning, resourceful, and it recycles? This slug sounds far from sluggish!

N&W 🐋