Let's Get Nudi...

I know what you were you thinking! Sorry to disappoint, but I was talking about nudi(branchs).

 

Crazy Cris over @ Here and There and Everywhere is playing hostess with the most-est again this year to World Ocean’s Day.  The theme?  Write something witty about our oceans, your experience with the ocean, etc.  So since I don’t really have anything witty to say, but wanted to participate, I will share some of J’s cool underwater photos with you.  

The photos are all of nudibranchs (NEW-dih-bronk) – a bottom-dwelling, jelly-bodied, shell-less, type of sea slug.  These are some of the most interesting creatures I have every witnessed on the sea floor.  They can range in size from 0.25 inches up to 12 inches long, but given their color, they are fairly easy to spot once you’ve trained your eyes accordingly.

 

All of these pictures were taken during our trip to the Philippines and as you can see, they vary greatly in shape, color and texture.  Apparently there color is based upon the color of the foods they eat.

According to National Geographic, there are more than 3,000 known species of nudibranch, and new ones are being identified almost daily. They are found throughout the world's oceans, but are most abundant in shallow, tropical waters. Their scientific name, Nudibranchia, means naked gills, and describes the feathery gills and horns that most wear on their backs.

 

Nudibranchs are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and can mate with any other mature member of their species. Their lifespan varies widely, with some living less than a month, and others living up to one year.

 

 

There you have it – a photo collage and a science lesson all in one about one of the many of millions of interesting species of creatures that call our world’s oceans home.