Hawaii Sea Slugs: Nudibranchs

This page provides links to more detailed pages on individual nudibranchs that are found in 25 ft or less (7.5 metres) of water. Unlike more scientific sites, I have organized these in a way that may be more novice friendly. When I was first learning about sea slugs I would look for colours and shape in order to identify species. While I can now easily identify a type of dorid or triopha, dendroid, aeolid or melibe, it took me a while. Not having any official education in biology, I also found it difficult to remember latin names and so have provided the common names as well as the latin wherever possible. I’ve tried to set this up so that nudibranchs that are similar in design and colour are close to one another. What defines a nudibranch? The simplest answer is that they are shelless mollusks with their gills or breathing apparatus behind their hearts. (pronounced new-deh-brank). They are carnivores (generally eating sponges, hydroids, anemones, other sea slugs, barnacles, fish eggs . .. . ) They tend to get their colours from the food they eat. Sapsuckers, sea hares, side-gilled slugs and bubble shells or headshield slugs are not technically nudibranchs, and they have their own pages (unless otherwise specified). Lamellaria do not even fall into the category of sea slugs, but they are look-a-likes and so have their own page as well..