There are more than 3,000 known species of nudibranch. They found out throughout the worlds oceans but are most abundant in shallow, tropical waters. Their scientific name, nudibranchia, means naked gills.

Generally oblong in shape, nudibranchs can be thick or flattened, long or short, ornately colored or drab to match their surroundings. Nudibranchs are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and can mate with any other mature member of their species. Their lifespan varies widely, with some living less than a month, and others living up to one year. Some nudibranchs are solar-powered, storing algae in their outer tissues and living off the sugars produced by the algae’s photosynthesis.