Nature quest: Giving colour to the seas

A sea slug, more specifically a dorid nudibranch or Goniobranchus reticulus, spotted around 12ft deep into the Bay of Bengal off Saint Martin's Island. This species is widely reported from the Indo-West Pacific, though sea slugs occur in seas worldwide. They are almost completely restricted to salt water, but some species are known to inhabit brackish waters with less salinity – such as this particular one.

Read more

Nature quest: Too hot for the cold blooded

Though visually stunning, the bright colours of this reef-dwelling species is not particularly for aesthetic purposes. The colours are actually to ward off predators and warn them of its toxic stinging cells or "offensive" taste. The species gains its toxicity from the food it consumes, which can include certain jellyfish, sea anemones or even other species of sea slugs.

Read more

Nature Quest: A fairy 'tail' from paradise

Because of the short life span of sea slugs, their reaction to changing environments, especially in the absence of food, is quicker than most animals. Due to this, scientists have actually been studying the movement of sea slugs to better understand the impact of climate change.