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| nudibranchs text index | photo index |
| Phylum Mollusca > Class Gastropoda > sea slugs > Order Nudibranchia |
| Denison's
nudibranch Dendrodoris denisoni Family Dendrodorididae updated Sep 12 Where seen? This delightfully bobbled nudibranch with electric blue spots is sometimes seen among seagrasses and seaweeds on our Northern shores, as well as at Cyrene Reef. Often seen in numbers, and then not seen again for some time. Features: 5-10cm long. Broad, soft body with lots of bumps and pimples, and distinctive electric blue spots. Thick club-like rhinophores and large feathery gills. The animal is generally beige sometimes with a purplish or pinkish tinge. Younger animals may be more colourful than older ones. Some members of this family can cause irritation to eyes and a burning sensation to the skin. What does it eat? It eats sponges, possibly sponges that live in murky, mucky sites. It lacks a radula and jaws so it can't rasp or chew its food sponge. Instead, it secretes digestive juices onto the sponge and then sucks up the softened sponge. How is it the juices don't leak away into the surrounding water? Dr Bill Rudman explains on his website about how structures around the mouth might help it form a seal around the feeding site. |
 Pulau Sekudu, May 05  |
 Mating pair? Pulau Sekudu, Oct 11 |
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 Beting Bronok, Jul 07  Underside. |
 Cyrene, Jul 09  Frilly gills. |
Denison's nudibranchs on Singapore shores
| Photos for free download from wildsingapore flickr |
Links
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IKAN-Unterwasserachiv, Frankfurt. 321 pp.|
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