Nudibranch’s are the coolest thing on the planet.  Awesome colours, vulnerable yet they gather the tools to ensure they aren’t fucked with, and just totally gorgeous.

They breathe out of external gills, typically the tree-like thing poking out of their back (imagine the lungs growing out of their backs and floating above them).  While some manufacture their own toxins, the rest of them gather the poison from their food (coral, anenomes, etc).   More info can be found at the National Geographic website: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/nudibranchs/holland-text/2

Chromodoris annae is the first creature I met when I started diving.  I was a total newbie, sitting on the sandy bottom, steadying myself against a rock (not coral – touching coral can kill it) in the current while my dive buddy did his skills tests.  This little fella climbed across the rock and up onto my hand.  It was love at first sight – I was enchanted.  After a closer look and a little chat with him, I placed my hand back on the rock and let him crawl off on his way.

Enjoy the following stunning photographs by Doubilet.  I think I’m going to buy a set of them (see the nat. geo website to puchase prints)

Chromodoris annae:

Chromodoris sp.

Jorunna funebris:

Nembrotha kubaryana:

Bornella anguilla: