The Creatures Living at the Bottom of the Sea

There look like animals from another galaxy, but these multi-coloured see slugs are actually one of the wonders of our sea. Nudibranchs are soft-bodied marine molluscs that shed their seashells after their larval level, exposing their brightly-coloured outside. These amazing pictures were taken by creatures photographer Franco Banfi in some of Earth’s most exotic waters surrounding Indonesia, the Phillippines, Papua New Guinea, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

BeachWalkers can often find nudibranchs in tidal pools at low tide

Even sea slug eggs can be red, pink, orange or any other colour depending on the species

Nudibranchs are hermaphrodites which means that they possess both male and female sex organs

Sea slugs are found all over the world, including the British Isles, the tropics and even the Antarctic

They can be found crawling over rocks, seaweeds, sponges, corals and many other substrates

Sea slugs have tentacles on their heads which they use to find food and seek a mate

In most species, the gills are prominently displayed on their dorsal surface

Nudibranchs are among the most beautiful and diverse creatures to be found on the planet

Another defence tactic is for nudibranchs to release acid from their skin

Some species get their toxicity from the sponge they eat but others can produce it themselves

Some nudibranchs have toxins which can render their predators incapacitated

Nudibranchs live on all levels of the ocean but their greatest size and variation comes in warm, shallow waters

There are thought to be around 3,000 different species of nudibranchs in our oceans

Wildlife photographer Franco Banfi travelled around the world to capture these beautiful images

Another theory is that their bright colouring helps sea slugs blend into their surroundings

One theory is that the colourful exterior is a form of aposematism – a warning to predators that they could be poisonous

The name ‘nudibranchs’ derives from Latin and Greek and means ‘naked gills’

These images were taken in waters surrounding Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea

It is believed the soft-bodied marine molluscs have evolved their unique anatomy to warn off predators

Nudibranchs shed their shells during the larval stage to reveal these multi-coloured exteriors

These alien-like creatures can be found in oceans all over the world

If you want to read more about creatures living of the sea click here.