It's fair to say that I've been spending a lot of time exploring Dorset this summer which has been a complete dream, but I honestly never thought that I would encounter a nudibranch on our shores just snorkelling.
I was snorkelling up to near Old Harry's Rocks when I saw these tentacles looking at me and then I noticed it's feathery plumes at it's rear end. Never ever did I think that it would be a rare sighting too!
The Warty Doris (yes, that really is it's name) is usually found in warmer waters such as the Mediterranean, and is a clear indicator of climate change. Nudibranchs are colorful, shell-less sea slugs with over 3,000 different species that are carnivorous, hermaphroditic and often use their prey's defenses, like toxins to protect themselves.
They sense their environment with these tentacle-like rhinophores and can retract them.
Did you know that they actually breathe through these feathery gills on their rear?
They primarily eat sponges, hydroids, anemones and even other sea slugs and nudibranchs.