Nudibranchia

Taxonavigation

Sub Kingdom: Eumetazoa

Family: Aegiridae - Aeolidiidae - Aldisidae - Archidorididae - Arminidae - Asteronotidae - Babakinidae - Chromodorididae - Conualeviidae - Corambidae - Cumanotidae - Dendrodorididae - Dendronotidae - Dironidae - Discodorididae - Dorididae - Dotoidae - Eubranchidae - Facelinidae - Fionidae - Flabellinidae - Glaucidae - Goniodorididae - Gymnodorididae - Hancockiidae - Janolidae - Kentrodorididae - Lomanotidae - Onchidorididae - Phyllidiidae - Phylliroidae - Platydorididae - Polyceridae - Rostangidae - Scyllaeidae - Tergipedidae - Tethydidae - Triophidae - Tritoniidae - Vayssiereidae

Introduction

Commonly called Nudibranchs or Sea Slugs. Nudibranchs are beautiful and spectacular organisms that are part of the subclass Opisthobranchia, within the phylum Mollusca, with over 11,000 different species around the world. The name nudibranch means "nake gill", with their gills present on their backs protruding out into the water. They also only have a shell during a larval stage, with it being lost when changing into an adult.

Nudibranchs have a poor track record within captivity. This is due to the fact that they have highly specialised feeding habits, feeding on things like sponges, bryozoans, ascidians (sea squirts) and cnidarians (corals, sea anemones, hydrozoans, etc.). If the particular prey they consume is not present, or doesn't grow fast enough, then they will starve to death.

It is important to distinguish between nudibranchs, sea hares and sacogloassans. The latter two are mostly herbivorous and are generally good in a marine aquarium. It is also important to note that nudibranchs and flatworms are two different type of organisms.