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Project Noah Nature School
Okenia rosacea
Bright pink sea slug about 10 mm long. "This pink color is produced by the xanthophyllic pigment hopkinsiaxanthin, most likely obtained through feeding on the cheilostomatous bryozoan, Integripelta bilabiata. The shape of the taenioglossan radula is unique in this family, as the middle tooth is large and elongate, ending in a hook-like tip. The lateral teeth are small and are actually reduced to a rudimentary plate."
Tidepools at very low tide at Cabrillo National Monument
Lifer! First on Project Noah :) "Nudibranchs feed on hydroids, sponges, sea slug eggs or sea sluggs, sea squirts, pieces of fish, other mollusks and sometimes anemones and barnacles. All are carnivorous and feed on a wide variety of animals." UW Explorers
Spotted on Dec 31, 2013
Submitted on Jan 1, 2014
4 Comments
Thank you Marta! I'm so glad you appreciate this little one :)
Beautiful! Many thanks for sharing!
Thank you Seema! This was my first time there. Since it was such a low tide, there were volunteers there. I asked if they've seen any nudibranches and after 30 min, they found one. Oddly enough, I saw one earlier that day but though it was man made garbage floating in the water due to the color. There were three total!
Amazing...I have been there twice and missed the tidepool area both times..