Some Facts About Nudibranchs
The word nudibranch (pronounced nooda-brank) comes from the Latin word nudus (naked) and Greek brankhia (gills), in reference to the gills or gill-like appendages obviously sticking out from the backs of many nudibranchs. They have poor vision and their sense is obtained through through their rhinophores (on top of the head) and oral tentacles (near the 'mouth'). They also have a foot that leaves slimy trails.
There are over 3,000 species of nudibranchs, and new species are still being discovered. They range in size from a few millimeters to 12" long, and can weigh up to just over 3 pounds. Two main types of nudibranchs are dorid nudibranchs and eolid nudibranchs.All nudibranchs are sea slugs, but not all sea slugs are nudibranchs.
Nudibranchs eat colorful food, which gives them their brilliant color.
Nudibranchs eat using a radula. They are carnivorous - their prey includes sponges, coral, anemones, hydroids, barnacles, fish eggs, sea slugs, and other nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are picky eaters - individual species or families of nudibranchs may eat only one kind of prey.
Nudibranchs get their bright colors from the food they eat. These colors may be used for camouflage or to warn predators of the poison that lies within.
Nudibranchs may be toxic (to their prey, but not usually to humans)
Eolid nudibranchs can use their cerata for defense. When they eat prey with nematocysts (such as Portuguese man-of-wars), the nematocysts are eaten but not discharged,and instead are stored in the nudibranch's cerata where they can be used to sting predators.
Dorid nudibranchs make their own toxins or abosorb toxins them from their food and release those into the water when needed. Despite the unsavory or toxic taste they can present to their predators, most nudibranchs are harmless to humans.
Sea Slug Postage Stamps - mostly Nudibranchs
ANGOLA
Year of the Ocean Expo Lisbon - marine Fauna
Cyerce sp.
1998
APSNY
REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA
Marine Life sheet
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1996
AUSTRALIA
Hypselodoris bullocki
1995
Hypselodoris bennetti
1984
Hypselodoris bullocki from The World Down Under
1995
Underwater World
2012
BELIZE
Tridachia crispata
1984
BENIN
Gastreropodes
Hermissenda crassicornis
2011
Fish Marine fauna
Glaucus atlanticus
2014
Birds & marine fauna.
chromodoris roboi & chromodoris elegantula
2014
BEQUIA
(GRENADINES of ST. VINCENT)
Marine Life of the Caribbean
Hermissenda crassicornis, Chromodoris leopardus, Chromodoris kuniei & Coryphella verrucosa.
2005
Marine Life, Mollusks of the Caribbean
Felimare picta
Elysia crispata
2015
BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
Nembrotha lineolata
Glossodoris cincta
Notodoris minor
Chromodoris cf. leopardus
Chromodoris quadricolor
Halgerda tessellata
1984
Marine Life Part 3, Parrotfish
Chromodoris elisabethina (bottom right of sheet)
2007
CAMBODGE (CAMBODIA)
Flabellina affinis
1999
CABO VERDE (CAPE VERDE)
Pleurobranchus garciagomezis
2011
Hypselodoris sp.
Aplysia dactylomela
Flabellina bulbosa
Flabellina arveleoi
CANOUAN (GRENADINES of ST. VINCENT)
Aplysia dactylomela (stamp) & Aeolid (sheet)
Seashells of the Caribbean
2014
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
Phidiana sp.
1989
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
Chromodoris kuniei (bottom right)
Christmas Island Marine Life
1998
COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS
1985
Phillidia varicosa
Halgerda tessellata
1985
Risbecia tryoni (bottom right)
Coral Reefs
2006
Phyllidia varicosa (middle right)
Colours of Cocos (Keeling) Island
2011
DJIBOUTI
Glossodoris
1977
Cyerce sp.
Cyerce sp.
COTE D'IVOIRE (IVORY COAST)
Chromodoris elisabethina
From Les Mollusques
2009
Nudibranchia
From Faune Marine Le Récif De Corail
2009
COOK ISLANDS
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1992
DOMINICA 1998
Coryphella sp. (bottom right)
International Year of the Ocean
1998
EIRE (IRELAND)
Lomanotus genei
2010
Lomanotus genei
2010
EL SALVADOR
Fauna Del Arrecife Los Cobanos
Hypselodoris agassizzi
2007
FALKLAND ISLANDS
Flabellina falklandica
2012
Phyllidia bourguini
Halgerda carlsoni
FIJI
1993
Chromodoris lochi
Chromodoris fidelis
Glaucus atlanticus
Hexabranchus sanguineus
FØROYAR (FAROE ISLANDS)
Polycera faeroensis
2002
GUINEE (GUINEA)
Chromodoris sp.
1999
Nudibranchia
2009
Hypselodoris nigrostriata
2009
Aeolid on sheet left & 2 x Aphelodoris varia stamps
Faune & Flore Sous-Marine
2009
GUINÉ-BISSAU (GUINEA-BISSAU)
Glaucus atlanticus
Vida Marinha
2012
Flabellina verrucosa
Vida Marinha
2015
GUYANA
Tropical Treasures of the Sea
2000
Chromodoris amoena
HONG KONG
Hypselodoris festiva
Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park
2003
HRVATSKA (CROATIA)
Flabellina affinis
Croatia's undersea world
2014
LUNDY ISLAND (U. K.)
KENYA
1980
Chromodoris quadricolor
Caloria Maculata
1978
ISLE of MAN
Eubranchus tricolor
1994
MALAGASY (MADAGASCAR)
Aplysia depilans
1992
Glossodoris atromarginata
Flabellina macassarana
MALAYSIA
1988
Chromodoris annae
Fryeria rueppelii
Phyllidia ocellata
Chromodoris magnifica
2005
Hypselodoris bullocki
joint issue with Thailand
2015
Nembrotha (stamp bottom left)
Islands & Beaches Pulau-Pulau & Pantai Siri III
2015
MAURITIUS
Nudibranch Foulard, Hexabranchus marginatus
1969
MEXICO
Hypselodoris purpureomaculosa
Entre Mares
1998
MOÇAMBIQUE (MOZAMBIQUE)
Chromodoris leopardus & Glossodoris cruentis
2002
Phyllidia elegans, Phyllidia coelestis, Hypselodoris bullocki,
Glossodoris hikuerensis, Glossodoris cruentis & Chromodoris leopardus
2002
Hypselodoris bullocki
O Mondo Do Mar
2002
NEW ZEALAND
Seashore Booklet
1996
Chromodoris amoena
NIGER
Elysia viridian (bottom right)
Glossodoris valenciennesi (bottom centre)
NIPPON (JAPAN)
Hypselodoris festiva & Chromodoris aureopurpurea
1996
Clione limacina
1996
Clione limacina
The 60th Anniversary of the Enforcment of the Local Autonomy Law - Hokkaido
2008
NIUE
1999
Chromodoris lochi
Chromodoris bullocki
Chromodoris elizabethina
Risbecia tryoni
Risbecia tryoni
1 Value OVERPRINT - VERY RARE
1993
Phillidia ocellata
Halgerda willeyi
1993
NORFOLK ISLAND
Chromodoris amoena
1993
Glossodoris rubroannulata
1993
Glaucus atlanticus
1993
Bornella sp.
1993
Nudibranch (bottom left)
1998
NORGE (NORWAY)
Polycera quadrilineata
2006
NOUVELLE CALEDONIE (NEW CALEDONIA)
Glaucus atlanticus
1959
Phyllobranchus
1964
Chromodoris kuniei
1990
Phyllidia ocellata
1990
Glossodoris cruentis
2012
Halgerda sp.
2012
Noumea catalai
2012
PALAU
Symbiosis
1987
Chromodoris quadricolor
Hypselodoris bullocki
Year of Eco Tourism
2002
Marine Life of Palau
2004
Risbecia tryoni
Chromodoris coi
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Flabellina macassarana
1978
Chromodoris fidelis
Roboastra arika
Chromodoris trimarginata
Chromodoris kuniei
2008
Phyllidia varicosa
Papua New Guinea Marine Biodiversity
2008
PENRHYN (NORTHERN COOK ISLANDS)
Phyllidia varicosa
1998
Glaucus atlanticus
Chromodoris quadricolor
PILIPINAS (PHILIPPINES)
Jorunna funebris
Noumea alboannulata
2009
Chromodoris hintuaneses
Risbechi tryoni
Chromodoris lochi
Chromodoris leopardus
Chromodoris elisabethina
2009
Chromodoris sp.
Hypselodoris apolegma
Glossodoris colemani
Chromodoris kuniei
2011
Glossodoris cruentus
2010
Sea Hare
(Cyerce nigricans)
2010
2010
Sacoglossan Sea Slug (Cyerce nigricans)
Flatworm
Scarlet-fringed Flatworm
2010
Polyclad Flatworm
2011
POLYNESIE FRANÇAISE (FRENCH POLYNESIA)
Doriden nudibranche
1991
Glossodoris sp.- Elysia sp.- Cyerce sp. (stamps)
& Flabellina sp. (sheet)
Nudibranchs de Polynésiesp.
2012
SAINT HELENA
Seaslug
Christmas 2014
SAINT KITTS - TAIWAN
Glossodoris rufomarginata
Marine Life of Taiwan
2015
SINGAPORE
nudibranch
1994
Pyllidia varicosa
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Chromodoris leopardus
1989
Chromodoris bullocki
Phidiana indica
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1999 Millennium 2000
1999
SOOMAALIYA (SOMALIA)
Cyerce sp.
Nembrotha sp.
Flabellina sp.
1999
SOUTH GEORGIA & SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
Flabellina falklandica
(top right)
The Waters of South Georgia Shallow Marine Life
2012
TAIWAN (REPUBLIC OF CHINA)
Chromodoris elisabethina
1995
Mexichromis multituberculata
Chromodoris willani
Glossodoris averni
Gymnodoris ceylonica
2011
THAILAND
Hypselodoris bullocki
joint issue with Malaysia
2015
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Hypselodoris bayeri
2003
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS
Flabellina sp.
Second World
Underwater Photographi Competition
1999
TUVALU
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1988
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1999
UNITED STATES of AMERICA
Pacific Coral Reef
2014
Hexabranchus sanguineus
(lower left)
Pacific Coral Reef (Back)
Kelp Forest
2009
Melibe leonina (mid-right)
Kelp Forest (back)
Chromodoris elisabethina
VANUATU
1985
Halgerda aurantiomaculata
Chromodoris kuniei
Notodoris minor
Risbecia tryoni, Phyllidia coelestis, Flabellina rubrolineata, Chromodoris lochi,
Chromodoris elisabethina,Jorunna funebris,Glossodoris rufomarginata,Phyllidia ocellata,
Chromodoris geometrica,Phyllidia madangensis,Hexabranchus sanguineus
& Glossodoris atromarginata
2008
WALLIS & FUTUNA
Hexabranchus sanguineus
1983
