Sea Snails

When you first think of snails, you think of those disgusting garden ones that eat up all of your lettuce. However, I am talking about the colourful and fluorescent ones that live right under our noses. They are so tiny that people rarely see them in Clovelly (I found my first one last year), so I bring to you some exciting finds I have come across while rock-pooling.

Pleurobranchus Forskalii 

This creature is part of the notaspidea family, or more commonly called the side-gilled slug. It is called this because of its side gill which you can see in the photo below where the slug is breathing in and out.

Breathing in?

Breathing out?

Dendrodoris Nigra 

This is a nudibranch (meaning naked slug) that eats Halichondria and Tedania sponges.

It usually has little ruffles around it's end, and white-tipped rhinophores (little pointy-out bits on its head).

 Flokati Nudibranch-Austraeolis Ornata

There is not much information about this one that I can find, but it is a part of the glaucidae family.

Doriprismatica Atromarginata 

This is another nudibranch that roams Clovelly. They generally live up to a year and feeds on corals, sponges and hyatella. It also is called a cheesecake slug because of its slice like figure.

In water

Rose Petal Bubble Snail

This snail is extremely beautiful and fluorescent, however, when a creature has bright colours it normally means that it is toxic. This snail gets its toxins from the worm it eats, and puts it into its flesh. This way any predators will either take the warning from the bright colours, or get a nasty surprise.

Below you can see a white streamer shaped figure, this is the rose petal bubble snail's eggs. I took these photos in late September which is the middle of the mating season.

On land

Eggs

Red-Lined Bubble Snail

This snail is very similar to the one above, except it can retract into its shell, the rose petal bubble snail cannot do that. I find them extremely cute and tiny and I love their colours!

Unknown 

If you know what any of these are please comment! I have done numerous internet searches but I cannot find anything that resembles them!

( These two are the same just from different angles)