![]() Worldwide there are more than 3,000 nudibranch species with more being discovered on a regular basis. The word nudibranch is derived from the Greek for “nakedgills” in reference to their shell-less (naked) bodies and uncovered (naked) gills. But as is the case with squids, octopuses and cuttlefishes, nudibranchs exhibit an evolutionary trend toward the reduction, internalization or complete loss of the external shell that is present in many members of their phylum. Many of these animals are equipped with hard, external shells. Nudibranchs are described in the phylum Mollusca, a word derived from the Latin for “soft-bodied.” A partial list of other mollusks includes snails, scallops, oysters, mussels, squids, octopuses and cuttlefishes. The lion’s mane nudibranch, pictured here, feeds using a greatly expandable oral hood bounded by fringed sensory tentacles.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |