Sea lemon
Doris verrucosa
- Scientific name
- Doris verrucosa
- Group
- Nudibranchs & Molluscs
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Mediterranean
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not evaluated
Did you know?
This lemon-yellow, warty sea slug feeds almost exclusively on sponges and gives off a sour smell when disturbed, which may help deter predators.
What defines this group — Nudibranchs & Molluscs
Sea snails, with or without a shell — nudibranchs traded theirs for warning colours.
- “Nudibranch” means naked gills: the plume on the back is their breathing apparatus.
- Two rhinophores on the head act as a nose, following scent trails.
- Many recycle the venom of their prey — anemones, hydroids — for their own defence.