Jon Chamberlain - Photographer and Web Designer

Nudibranch

Pondorous Mourning Dorid nudibranchs (Jorunna funebris), sometimes refered to as a sea slugs, make for perfect subjects.

The slug of the sea

Beautiful colouration, distinctive features and a flowing plume through which they breathe, the nudibranch comes in all shapes, sizes and colours. They use colour to ward off predators and some species are poisonous. They are carnivorous and can feed on sponges, hydroids, bryozoans, barnacles and even other nudibranchs.

Any slug will do

Nudibranchs are hermaphroditic and have the reproductive organs of both genders. They lay their eggs in gelatinous spirals which are almost as attractive as the nudibranchs themselves.

This image and an image of the egg spiral have been added to an large database of nudibranches at www.nudipixel.net.