Smooth Tooth Aeolis

Aeolids are a type of small sea slug

This is a Smooth Tooth Aeolis (also known as Price’s Aeolid). What is an “aeolid”? An aeolid is a type of small sea slug (about one inch) that we also refer to as a “nudibranch”. What is a nudibranch? A “nudi” is a soft bodied marine gastropod mollusk. They are known for their ornate colors and patterns.

Purple Spotted Sea Goddess

Aeolid’s are unique in that their cerata contain cnidosacs. What are “cerata” and what are “cnidosacs”? Cerata are the fleshy colorful outgrowths that extend off the nudibranch. The cerata of this nudibranch are orange and red. If you look at the tips of the cerata, they are white. This white area contains stinging cells known as “nematocysts” or cnidoblasts. This is the defense mechanism of the nudibranch. What is interesting is that these nematocysts are actually consumed in the nudibranchs diet, and stored for its defense. Nudibranchs eat corals, hydroids, sea anemones, and jellyfish. All of these contain nematocysts.

These nudibranchs can be found from southern California to southern Alaska. I took this photo in the Channel Islands National Park off of California. I found these nudibranchs to be a common sight while diving the Channel Islands. In fact, if you look in the background of this photo you can see another one.

Harlequin Blue Sea Goddess

I enjoy this photo because you can see the tiny black eyeballs of the nudibranch, if you look very closely.

Look for the tiny black eyeballs

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