Pikachu nudibranch
Thecacera pacifica
- Scientific name
- Thecacera pacifica
- Group
- Nudibranchs & Molluscs
- Rarity
- Rare
- Where to see it
- Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Not evaluated
Did you know?
Its yellow body, topped with two dark-tipped rhinophores and projections resembling ears, earned it the nickname "Pikachu nudibranch" among divers, though it has no actual connection to the video game character.
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.