Nudibranchs
Damien
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.
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
Nudibranchs 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
Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWmaSkhsmbY