WHATSTHATFISH
Sea slugs & snails

Bicolor Flabellina

Samla bicolor

Also known as: Aeolid Nudibranch, Aeolus, Bicolor Nudibranch, Dorid Nudibranch, Flabellina Nudibranch, Flabellina Sea Slug, Nudibranch, Ornate Flabellina, Flabellina bicolor

Adult
@blogie · Dayang Beach Dive Site, Talikud Island, Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines · January 20121 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, crawling over encrusting, turf algae and amongst hydroids, over coral and rocky reefs.
They feed on exclusively on hydroids.

Opisthobranchia - Nudibranchs - Sea Slugs meaning "naked gills" are molluscs without a hard shell.
All opisthobranchs are hermaphrodites.
These beautiful slugs are usually brilliantly coloured and this in itself can act as a deterrent against predators. Some sea slugs secrete acid from stinging cells in their tentacles while others secrete acid from cells in their mantle.
Nudibranchs are slow moving, can swim or be propelled along either by muscular contraction or by millions of tiny hairs on the bottom of a fleshy 'foot', they have a voracious appetite and feed with a rasp like tongue.
Nudibranch lay their eggs in a ribbon effect on the sand, in different colours depending on species.

02

How to identify

Body shape
tentacles
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, crawling over encrusting, turf algae and amongst hydroids, over coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumMollusca
    3. classGastropoda
    4. orderNudibranchia
    5. familyFlabellinidae
    6. genusSamla
    7. speciesSamla bicolor (Kelaart, 1858)

    SourcesWoRMSSea Slug Forum

    06

    More in the family

    Sea Slugs (Flabellinidae)