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ALEXANDRE MEINESZ

Mediterranean Purple Flabellina

In Dive.Explo360: Mediterranean · Northeast Atlantic · Atlantic Ocean

On a hydroid colony, the Mediterranean Purple Flabellina catches the eye with its purple shades and elegant clusters of cerata. This little sea slug turns the stinging cells of its prey into a means of defence, a remarkable adaptation to observe while diving.

Habitat de Mediterranean Purple Flabellina Habitat
Rocky habitat
Profondeur de Mediterranean Purple Flabellina Depth
5-50 m
Groupe biologique de Mediterranean Purple Flabellina Group
Mollusc
Rôle écologique de Mediterranean Purple Flabellina Role
Predator

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

This small nudibranch has an elongated, translucent body, generally tinged with violet to purplish pink. Its back is covered in numerous slender cerata arranged in clusters, giving it a finely divided outline. The tips of the cerata are often more brightly coloured. The head bears two clearly visible, smooth rhinophores. Like all nudibranchs, it has no shell as an adult. The cerata are not gills, but dorsal extensions involved particularly in respiration and digestion.

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

It lives in the Mediterranean Sea, mainly on rocky seabeds where its prey develop. It occurs on walls, in coralligenous areas and on substrates colonised by hydroids, between a few metres and several tens of metres deep.

WHAT DOES IT EAT?

It feeds almost exclusively on hydroids. It captures these small attached organisms using its radula and then digests their tissues. It can also take stinging cells from its prey and store them in its cerata for defence.

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Other species — Mollusc

Mediterranean Helmet Shell Purple Flabellina Dalmatian Doris Giant Doris Ischia Flabelline Orange topshell Umbrella slug Three-coloured Aglaja

Same habitat and depth

Rocky seabed species

Same ecological role and depth

Predatory species

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