Knowra Nudibranch Nudibranch A nudibranch is a shell-less marine gastropod in the clade Nudibranchia. Its exposed gills or other respiratory structures give the group its name, meaning “naked gills.”
Gastropod : A mollusk in the class Gastropoda, typically characterized by a muscular foot and a head bearing sensory organs. Nudibranchs are gastropods whose evolution transformed the familiar snail body plan.
Kleptocnidy : The sequestration and reuse of stinging cells taken from prey by certain animals. Some aeolid nudibranchs store cnidarian stinging cells in cerata for defense.
Marine chemical ecology : The study of how chemicals mediate interactions among marine organisms and their environments. Nudibranchs’ acquired toxins and signals make them useful subjects for this field.
Sea slug : An informal name for several unrelated or distantly related groups of marine gastropods with reduced or absent shells. The common name is broader than Nudibranchia and includes several non-nudibranch groups.
Mollusca : A major animal phylum that includes snails, clams, cephalopods, and other soft-bodied animals. This broader lineage explains the shared body-plan features nudibranchs retain.
Chemical defense : The use of biologically active chemicals to deter predators, parasites, or competitors. Nudibranchs may acquire defensive compounds from food or produce them themselves.
Natural product : A chemical compound produced by a living organism, often studied for biological activity or practical use. Defensive compounds from nudibranchs and their prey can inspire chemical research.
Sacoglossan : A group of marine gastropods that feed by piercing algal cells and sucking out their contents. Some sacoglossans retain functional chloroplasts, unlike the defining pattern of nudibranch feeding.
Rhinophore : A paired sensory tentacle on the head of many sea slugs, usually bearing receptors for chemical cues. These prominent head organs help nudibranchs detect food and potential mates.
Radula : A toothed, ribbonlike feeding structure used by most mollusks to scrape, cut, or grasp food. Nudibranch radulae are adapted to their particular prey and feeding strategies.
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