Creatures called "Sea Slugs"
I don't go looking for them at all now, but I used to go out to the rocky shores diligently to look for creatures called "sea slugs". I used to look for them through rocky shore observation and snorkeling, but with my presbyopia and lower back pain, I don't think I can look for them anymore.
The above is my sea slug exploration website.
My exploration blog was uploaded below (my son still finds time to look for them when he goes to Okinawa or the Ogasawara Islands on business trips). I mainly looked for them with my son at the rocky shores of the Miura Peninsula. There are quite a few divers who look for these "sea slugs," but there are few people who look for them on rocky shores. However, you can observe them on rocky shores without being a diver (although you rarely see sea slugs that live in deep water on rocky shores). I was able to encounter 160 species of "sea slugs" on the rocky shores of the Miura Peninsula. I started in 2003, so it's been 22 years already (lol). My son, who was in elementary school, is now married and a working adult ^^
The photos of sea slugs I have encountered so far are uploaded above.
I have also released LINE stickers featuring these "sea slugs" as characters ^^
The other day, when I was organizing my YouTube, some videos of "sea slugs" came up, so I will post them. The average size of a "sea slug" is about 20mm. There are individuals as small as 1mm and as large as 30-50cm. The image quality isn't very good, but please forgive me ^^
I found this "Spanish Dancer" at the water's edge on Amami Oshima. It is about the size of a palm.
All videos other than this "sea slug" were found on the rocky shores of the Miura Peninsula, about 50cm underwater.
"Okada's sea slug" can be seen with a high probability if you turn over rocks on the shore. But the size is 2-3mm (lol)
Regarding "sea slugs," I asked the modern-day ChatGPT teacher.
Q : What is a sea slug? How many species are there in the world?
A :
↓
Sea slugs are a type of mollusk belonging to the phylum Mollusca, class Gastropoda, and are a type of sea snail that has lost its shell. They move by crawling slowly through the ocean, and because many species have vivid colors and unique patterns, they are popular among divers and biology enthusiasts.
🔍 Basic information about sea slugs
Item Details Classification Phylum Mollusca, Class Gastropoda, Order Nudibranchia (etc.) Characteristics No shell as an adult, soft body Size Several millimeters to several tens of centimeters Diet Eats sponges, bryozoans, jellyfish, algae, etc. Distribution Distributed in oceans all over the world. Especially common in tropical and subtropical regions
🌏 Number of sea slug species in the world
There are over 3,000 to 6,000 species of sea slugs confirmed worldwide. However, it is believed that many undiscovered species still exist, and the number is increasing as research progresses.
The area around Japan (especially Okinawa and the Izu Islands) has extremely high sea slug diversity, and it is said that over 1,000 species have been confirmed.
🐚 Sea slug charm points
Rich variety of colors and patterns (mimicry and warning colors)
Some species incorporate and use the toxins of their natural enemies (e.g., dorid nudibranchs)
Some species even perform photosynthesis (some species that live in symbiosis with algae)
I posted this partly to organize my videos ^^ Why don't you try looking for them when you go to the rocky shore? However, you can hardly find them at high tide.
The time of the spring tide when the tide is at its lowest is suitable for rocky shore observation ^^