Sea Bed Rainbow Riot

Sea Slugs are amongst the most colourful and visually stunning of creatures,  living works of art, and spectacular sights that few ever get to see in real life.

Found living on ocean floors in all  parts of the earth., Sea Slugs – latin name  Nudibranch – taken from the Latin  nudus –  naked – and the Greek brankhia – branches – Translated as  naked gills –  flower-like gills,  found on the backs and used for breathing, Sea Slugs actually,  distantly related to land slugs and snails, being soft-bodied molluscs.

Small and very vulnerable to predators, they defend themselves through  toxic secretions in some cases, others camouflage themselves, whilst yet others employ  stinging cells, as well as being so  incredibly brightly coloured as a warning  to predatory creatures to keep well away.

Capable only of detecting light and dark – extremely small eyes – their horn-like protrusions – rhinophores – act as sensors for smelling, feeling and  tasting the water around them, chemical signals used to gather all the information needed for feeding and survival. They are carnivorous, happily feasting on poisonous prey and converting toxins ingested for their own defence, some even containing, within their bodies, a sun-loving algae which produce nutrients used by their hosts. 

Coming along in a numberless diversity of colours and patterns,  many types secrete evil-tasting, or poisonous chemicals when threatened, so aquarium owners should not include them in displays., if they want their prized fish to stay healthy.

Simultaneous hermaphrodites, Sea Slugs have both male, and female reproductive organs  - so  reproduction comes via internal fertilization normally,  before each goes on to lay its egg mass before dying. 

The sea-slugs will normally lay eggs close by or indeed right on a food source. young hatching fully developed, and starting to feed immediately.

Juvenile sea-slugs have shells, losing them again as adults. These living rainbows are proof positive that nature can be so naturally beautiful that it can rob you of your breath.