Species · GBIF taxon 6519876
Sea Lemon
Doris montereyensisAlso known as Monterey Sea Lemon, Monterey Dorid
Sea lemons are robust dorid nudibranchs that mimic the texture and color of the sponges they eat. Their bright yellow to orange bodies are covered in small, dark-tipped tubercles, and they sport a conspicuous rosette of feathery gills on their posterior end. These slow-moving gastropods navigate rocky tidepools and kelp forests along the Pacific coast, using their sensory rhinophores to sniff out prey.
MarineColorfulGastropod
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Breadcrumb sponge
- Yellow encrusting sponge
Predators
- Sea stars
- Crabs
- Predatory sea slugs
ThreatsCoastal pollution, habitat degradation, and ocean acidification
HabitatsRocky intertidal zones, tidepools, and shallow subtidal reefs
Life span1 to 2 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyDorididae
- SpeciesDoris montereyensis
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
- Search the sponges: Look closely under rocky ledges and inside crevices where yellow sponges grow.
- Do not touch: Their delicate bodies and gills are easily damaged by handling.
- Watch the gills: Observe the feathery branchial plume on their back, which retracts when disturbed.
Image unavailableLook-alike Primary Food Source Close Relative
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