Nudibranchs

1
Nudibranchs

• Damien

2
Title
A nudibranch is a member of soft-bodied,
shell-less marine mullusk. They have colors and
forms. The Nudibranch is the largest member of
heterobranchs, with more than 3,000 described
species. The word "nudibranch" comes from the
Latin nudus, naked, and the Greek brankhia,
gills.Nudibranchs are often called "sea slugs", a
non-scientific term. This has led some people to
assume that every sea slug must be a nudibranch.
Nudibranchs are very numerous in terms of
species, and are often very attractive and
noticeable, but there are a wide variety of other
kinds of sea slugs, A fair number of these other
sea slugs are colorful, and can be confused with
nudibranchs.
3
HABITAT Nudibranchs live at virtually all depths
of salt water, but reach their greatest size and
variation in warm, shallow waters. The body
forms of nudibranchs vary enormously, but because
they are opisthobranchs, unlike most other
gastropods they are bilaterally symmetrical
because they have undergone secondary
detorsion they have no eyes but have senors for
feel and smell They vary in adult size from 20
to 600 mm. The adult form is without a
shell Reproduction Nudibranchs are
hermaphroditic, they have a set of reproductive
organs for both sexes, and rarely fertilize
themselves. Nudibranchs typically deposit their
eggs within a gelatin like spiral Feeding Nudibra
nchs are carnivorous. Some feed on sponges,
others on hydroids, others on bryozoans, and some
are cannibals, eating other sea slugs, or, on
some occasions, members of their own species.
Other groups feed on tunicates, barnacles, or
anemones
4
Pictures
5
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vIWmaSkhsmbY