ID Chart for “Toxic Tango 1: Sea Slugs”

Here is the scientific ID chart for “Toxic Tango 1: Sea Slugs”.  There is some confusion and several synonyms for some of the creatures, so I’ve asked my father to consult with a colleague of his at the SF Academy of Sciences to get the straight scoop.  If any corrections are needed, I’ll post them later.

All nudibranchs are sea slugs, but not all sea slugs are nudibranchs.

Nudibranch means naked gills.  Those funny, feathery/fluffy projections near the posterior of the creatures are their gills. Most also have a pair of antennae-like rhinophores on their heads which serve as sensory organs  The central figure (Glaucus atlanticus) has a different arrangement, however.  The many projections on his appendages serve as gills Dorid nudibranchs have posterior gills, while Eolid nudibranchs have multiple finger-like projections instead.