Nudibranchs and Other Sea Slugs of California

While land slugs are slimy and eat your vegetables, sea slugs are colorful and awesome. And we have a bunch of them in California. Hooray. This guide currently covers the common nudibranchs, sea hares, sapsucking slugs, and other marine Heterobranchia of our coast, including several non-native ...more ↓

Hammerhead Doto 2
Doto amyra
British Columbia Doto 3
Doto columbiana
Seal Doto 3
Doto kya
Lance's Doto 4
Doto lancei
Threaded Nudibranch 5
Pseudobornella orientalis
White Dendronotus 6
Dendronotus albus
Giant Nudibranch 7
Dendronotus iris
Stubby Dendronotid 3
Dendronotus subramosus
Branched Dendronotid 8
Dendronotus venustus
Hancock's Nudibranch 3
Hancockia californica
Hooded Nudibranch 3
Melibe leonina
Goddard's Aeolid 9
Pacifia goddardi
Green Balloon Aeolid 1
Eubranchus olivaceus
Homely Aeolid 13
Eubranchus rustyus
Misaki Aeolid 4
Leostyletus misakiensis
Feather Aeolid 4
Fiona pinnata
Rose-pink Cuthona 1
Cuthona divae
Hamann's Aeolid 4
Cuthona hamanni
Long's Aeolid 14
Cuthona longi
Lost Cuthona 6
Cuthona perca
Phoenix Aeolid 3
Cuthona phoenix
Roller's Aeolid 15
Cuthona rolleri
Chocolate Aeolid 1
Cuthonella cocoachroma
British Columbia Aeolid 16
Catriona columbiana
Doc's Aeolid 13
Catriona rickettsi
Spotted Lagoon Aeolid 4
Tenellia adspersa
White-crusted Aeolid 4
Tenellia albocrusta
Yellow-head Aeolid 1
Tenellia flavovulta
Green Aeolid
Trinchesia virens
Shiny Aeolid 1
Zelentia fulgens
Laguna Aeolid 1
Diaphoreolis lagunae
Vrijenhoek's Nudibranch
Ziminella vrijenhoeki
Smooth-tooth Aeolis 4
Apata pricei
Elegant Aeolid 4
Abronica abronia
Cooper's Aeolid 17
Orienthella cooperi
Three-lined Aeolid 3
Orienthella trilineata
Hilton's Aeolid 7
Phidiana hiltoni
Morro Bay Aeolid 19
Emarcusia morroensis
Stearns' Aeolid 20
Austraeolis stearnsi
Red-Headed Aeolid 21
Noumeaella rubrofasciata
Enosima Aeolid 3
Sakuraeolis enosimensis
Undertaker Nudibranch
Aeolidia libitinaria
Shag-rug Nudibranch 22
Aeolidia papillosa
Colorful Aeolid 3
Aeolidiella chromosoma
Moss Landing Aeolid 23
Cerberilla mosslandica
Spanish Shawl 4
Flabellinopsis iodinea
Horned Nudibranch 4
Hermissenda crassicornis
Opalescent Nudibranch 3
Hermissenda opalescens
White-lined Dirona 3
Dirona albolineata
Colorful Dirona 3
Dirona picta
Ringed Janolus 20
Janolus anulatus
Cockscomb Nudibranch 4
Antiopella barbarensis
Keen's Tritonid 1
Tritonicula myrakeenae
Festive Tritonid 1
Tritonia festiva
Black Tiger Nudibranch
Tritonia nigritigris
Giant Orange Tochui 26
Tochuina tetraquetra
Red Dorid 3
Rostanga pulchra
Heath's Dorid 13
Geitodoris heathi
O'Donoghue's Dorid 4
Diaulula odonohuei
San Diego Dorid 4
Diaulula sandiegensis
Mimic Dorid 4
Baptodoris mimetica
Hunchback Doris 23
Atagema alba
Mulliner's Dorid 21
Peltodoris mullineri
Noble Dorid 3
Peltodoris nobilis
Leopard Jorunna 27
Jorunna pardus
Two-spotted Dorid 4
Thordisa bimaculata
Red Thordisa 21
Thordisa rubescens
Monterey Dorid 3
Doris montereyensis
Picken's Dorid 20
Doris pickensi
Tanya's Dorid 14
Doris tanya
White Dorid 4
Conualevia alba
Salt-and-pepper Doris 3
Aegires albopunctatus
Humped Ancula 3
Ancula gibbosa
Flat Okenia 4
Okenia plana
Hopkin's Rose 29
Okenia rosacea
Gosliner's Trapania 4
Trapania goslineri
Swift Trapania 30
Trapania velox

Edited by Ken-ichi Ueda, and Robin Gwen Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

Photo Credits

  • 1. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 2. (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, all rights reserved, uploaded by Robin Gwen Agarwal
  • 3. (c) Robin Agarwal (ANudibranchMom on iNaturalist), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
  • 4. (c) Robin Gwen Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Robin Gwen Agarwal
  • 5. (c) Robin Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY)
  • 6. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda
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  • 13. (c) Robin Agarwal, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
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  • 29. (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
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