Eel Bornella Nudibranch

Bornella anguilla is a species of sea slug, a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Bornellidae. This species is widely distributed throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

Description

This species can grow up to a length of 8 cm. The color pattern of this impressive dendronotid is a mosaic of red-orange, brown and white spots against a black reticulate background. Each of the six pairs of cerata, as well as the rhinophoral sheaths, possess a distinctive flap shaped like a rabbit ear with black, white and orange streaks.

Habitat

Though other bornellids can swim using a side-to-side flapping motion, Bornella anguilla is capable of swimming like an eel with a more sinuous movement. Its cerata-like gills do not carry nematocysts like most aeolids. It feeds on the hydroid Plumularia.