Janolus nudibranch
Janolus cristatus
- Scientific name
- Janolus cristatus
- Group
- Nudibranchs & Molluscs
- Rarity
- Rare
- Where to see it
- Mediterranean, Temperate Atlantic / English Channel
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not evaluated
Did you know?
The janolus nudibranch has no shell and shows off a translucent body covered in long finger-like projections (cerata) that reveal the color of its digestive organs underneath. It feeds mainly on bryozoans, small colonial animals attached to rocks.
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.