{"id":22967,"date":"2016-12-05T14:27:07","date_gmt":"2016-12-05T13:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/?page_id=22967"},"modified":"2025-04-24T17:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T15:04:10","slug":"que-es-un-opistobranqui","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/introduccio\/que-es-un-opistobranqui\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Sea Slug ?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"88\" data-end=\"114\">What Is a Sea Slug?<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"116\" data-end=\"442\">A <strong data-start=\"118\" data-end=\"130\">sea slug<\/strong> is a common name for a diverse group of soft-bodied marine animals that mostly live in the ocean. Despite the name, they are <strong data-start=\"249\" data-end=\"267\">not true slugs<\/strong> (like the ones you might see in a garden), but they do look similar because they <strong data-start=\"349\" data-end=\"373\">lack a visible shell<\/strong>. Sea slugs are <strong data-start=\"389\" data-end=\"401\">molluscs<\/strong>, just like snails, clams, and octopuses.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"116\" data-end=\"442\">There are many different groups of Sea Slugs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Acochlidiacea<\/em> Odhner, 1937<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Thecosomata<\/em> Blainville, 1824<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Gymnosomata<\/em> Blainville, 1824<\/li>\n<li>Clade\u00a0Allogastropoda (Lower Heterobranchia)\u00a0Haszprunar, 1985<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Cephalaspidea<\/em> P. Fischer, 1883<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Runcinacea<\/em> Burn, 1963<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Sacoglossa<\/em> von Ihering, 1876<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Anaspidea<\/em> P. Fischer, 1883<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Pleurobranchomorpha<\/em> Schmekel, 1985<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Umbraculida<\/em> Odhner, 1939<\/li>\n<li>Suborder\u00a0<em>Nudibranchia<\/em> Blainville, 1814<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The suborder of nudibranchs (pronounced <em data-start=\"515\" data-end=\"531\">noo-dih-branks<\/em>)\u00a0is probably the most popular.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"608\" data-end=\"611\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"613\" data-end=\"637\">Biological Basics<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"663\"><strong data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"651\">Phylum<\/strong>: Mollusca<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"641\" data-end=\"663\"><strong data-start=\"666\" data-end=\"675\">Class<\/strong>: Gastropoda<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"741\" data-end=\"918\">They are gastropods, which means they\u2019re in the same class as snails. Many start life with a small shell, but they <strong data-start=\"856\" data-end=\"880\">shed it as they grow<\/strong>, ending up with soft, exposed bodies.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"920\" data-end=\"923\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"925\" data-end=\"957\">Why Are They So Colorful?<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"959\" data-end=\"1065\">Many sea slugs have <strong data-start=\"979\" data-end=\"1003\">vibrant, wild colors<\/strong> and fascinating shapes. These colors serve multiple purposes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1069\" data-end=\"1154\"><strong data-start=\"1072\" data-end=\"1089\">Warning signs<\/strong>: Some are toxic or distasteful, and their colors warn predators.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1157\" data-end=\"1219\"><strong data-start=\"1160\" data-end=\"1174\">Camouflage<\/strong>: Others blend into their habitat to hide.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1222\" data-end=\"1346\">\u267b\ufe0f <strong data-start=\"1225\" data-end=\"1241\">Stolen power<\/strong>: Some species can <strong data-start=\"1260\" data-end=\"1281\">absorb the toxins<\/strong> or even <strong data-start=\"1290\" data-end=\"1309\">photosynthesize<\/strong> by stealing chloroplasts from algae!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"1348\" data-end=\"1351\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"1353\" data-end=\"1378\">\ufe0f What Do They Eat?<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1380\" data-end=\"1452\">Most sea slugs are <strong data-start=\"1394\" data-end=\"1409\">carnivorous<\/strong>. Depending on the species, they might eat:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1456\" data-end=\"1465\">Sponges<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1468\" data-end=\"1478\">Anemones<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1481\" data-end=\"1495\">Coral polyps<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1498\" data-end=\"1515\">Other sea slugs<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1518\" data-end=\"1539\">Algae (in some cases)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1541\" data-end=\"1658\">Some nudibranchs can even <strong data-start=\"1567\" data-end=\"1595\">steal the stinging cells<\/strong> from jellyfish or anemones and use them for their own defense!<\/p>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"1660\" data-end=\"1663\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"1665\" data-end=\"1702\">Fun Facts<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1706\" data-end=\"1853\"><strong data-start=\"1706\" data-end=\"1721\">Nudibranchs<\/strong> breathe through external gills, often visible as feathery plumes on their back (hence the name: <em data-start=\"1818\" data-end=\"1851\">&#8220;nudi&#8221; = naked, &#8220;branch&#8221; = gill<\/em>).<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1856\" data-end=\"1981\">They exhibit <strong data-start=\"1869\" data-end=\"1885\">kleptoplasty<\/strong> (stealing chloroplasts) or <strong data-start=\"1913\" data-end=\"1928\">kleptocnidy<\/strong> (stealing stinging cells), depending on the species.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1984\" data-end=\"2061\">Many are <strong data-start=\"1993\" data-end=\"2011\">hermaphrodites<\/strong>, having both male and female reproductive organs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"2063\" data-end=\"2066\" \/>\n<h3 class=\"\" data-start=\"2068\" data-end=\"2099\">Where Can You Find Them?<\/h3>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"2101\" data-end=\"2274\">Sea slugs live <strong data-start=\"2116\" data-end=\"2138\">all over the world<\/strong>, from shallow coral reefs to deep sea floors. Some live in warm tropical waters, while others are found in cold, deep-sea environments.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"\" data-start=\"2276\" data-end=\"2279\" \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><p><strong>Cite this article as: <\/strong><\/p><div style=\"display: block; background: #444444; padding: 10px 30px 10px 10px; border-radius: 5px; line-height: 18px;\"><p class=\"citacio\"><b>Pontes, Miquel<\/b> (2025) <em>\"What is a Sea Slug ?\"<\/em> in <em>OPK-Opistobranquis<\/em>. Published: 05\/12\/2016. Accessed: 16\/08\/2026. Available at (<a href=https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/?p=22967>https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/?p=22967<\/a>)<\/p><p><\/p><\/div><p><\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Is a Sea Slug? A sea slug is a common name for a diverse group of soft-bodied marine animals that mostly live in the ocean. Despite the name, they are not true slugs (like the ones you might see in a garden), but they do look similar because they lack a visible shell. Sea slugs are molluscs, just like snails, clams, and octopuses. There are many different groups of\u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"continue-reading-button\"> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/introduccio\/que-es-un-opistobranqui\/\">Continue reading<i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":5771,"menu_order":35,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22967","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22967"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22967\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46520,"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22967\/revisions\/46520"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opistobranquis.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}