They’re mostly blind though. So instead of relying on eyesight, they use a pair of chemical-sensing tentacles called rhinophores to find nearby prey or other nudibranchs to eat.
Nudibranchs can slowly chip away at coral or other harder treats using a curved set of teeth.
But they’re just as happy to eat sea sponges or fish eggs too!
Nudibranchs take the saying, “You are what you eat,” to a whole other level!
They can absorb the dyes and pigments in the things they eat to add to their colours!
Some nudibranchs can even absorb poisons or stinging cells to discourage bigger fish from turning them into snacks!
But perhaps most bizarre of all, nudibranchs can absorb the chloroplasts of underwater plants. These are the cells plants use for photosynthesis.
This means that some nudibranchs generate some of their energy, just like a plant would!
So the next time someone says slugs are gross, be sure to tell them about nudibranchs.
These colourful creatures are the very definition of Wowzerful!
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