Invertebrate
Hooded Nudibranch
Melibe leoninaAlso known as Lion Nudibranch, Lion's Mane Nudibranch
Hooded nudibranchs are translucent, ghostly sea slugs that cast a wide oral hood fringed with sensory tentacles into open water, snapping it shut like a Venus flytrap to snare drifting zooplankton. When detached from kelp or eelgrass blades, they swim surprisingly well by flexing their flattened bodies side to side in rhythmic undulations. When handled or stressed, they release a potent, surprisingly pleasant defense secretion that smells distinctly of sweet watermelon candy.
MarineCarnivorousTranslucent
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAmphipods, Copepods, Mysid Shrimp
Predators
- Sunflower Sea Star
- Kelp Crab
- Sculpin
ThreatsKelp forest decline, warming ocean temperatures, and coastal pollution
HabitatsKelp forests, eelgrass beds, and shallow rocky coastal subtidal zones
Life spanUp to 1 year
Classification
- OrderNudibranchia
- FamilyTethydidae
- GenusMelibe
- SpeciesMelibe leonina
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Diving Etiquette: Watch them hover along giant kelp fronds without touching their delicate translucent bodies.
- Olfactory Sign: Notice the distinct sugary, watermelon scent lingering on diving gear if one brushes past.
Host Plant "Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), Monterey Bay aquarium, California" by LT&C is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Predator Jerry Kirkhart from Los Osos, Calif. / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Frequent Companion (c) Ian Manning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ian Manning · cc-by
Host Plant no rights reserved · cc0
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