Scientists have observed fish repeatedly swallowing and spitting back out nudibranchs until the association between bright color and foul taste is learned. The bright coloration of some nudibranchs is a warning to predators of a foul taste and in some cases toxins, Boothe said. Some nudibranchs are able to blend in with their environment by means of cryptic coloration while others brightly advertise their presence to everyone.Ģ00 different species call the Pacific Northwest home, making quite the color splash in those tide pools you’re peeking into on the Oregon coast. While most lack shells some species have a reduced or internal shell.”īoothe said they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. In fact, the name nudibranch means ‘naked gills,’ referring to the fact that their gills are on the outside of the body.
“Through evolution they have lost their shell. “Nudibranchs are marine snails, relatives of limpets and abalone,” Boothe said. Some 3,000 different species inhabit the world’s oceans and tide pools, ranging in length from 1/8 inch to 12 inches.Īll photos here taken by Boothe on different expeditions to coastal tide pools. They come in such diverse shapes, patterns and colors it is impossible to see all the configurations. One of these is the wild and wonderfully colorful sea slugs – or nudibranchs (pronounced with a “k” sound at the end, not a ch sound). “Do you know what it is you're looking at? Can you determine whether or not what you're looking is an animal or a plant?”īoothe said there’s a lot people are probably overlooking on their often cursory glances or looks into the little colonies of life left by low tides. “When you go out to a tide pool, are you seeing all there is,” asked Seaside Aquarium’s Tiffany Boothe. (All photos Seaside Aquarium).Īnd you find them in tide pools of the Oregon coast.Īs the ocean water and the beaches warm up over the summer, playing around tide pools becomes de rigueur on a trip to the area. (Seaside, Oregon) – They look like surreal creatures from a sci-fi film, or maybe an example of the freaky fractal exercise known as the Mandelbrot set - existing in a myriad of shapes and colors that simply blow the mind. Colorful Sea Slugs Make Waves in Oregon Coast Tide Pools
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