Nudibranch in India can easily be spotted in the tropical waters of Pondicherry. Our home reef, named Temple Reef is a massive attraction for nudibranchs of all kinds. Because of how versatile our artificial reef is!
Built around ten years ago, all four parts of Temple Reef are thriving with life. With some of that life being a diverse group of colourful nudibranchs.
So what exactly do we mean by nudibranchs?
Nudibranchs are classified as a group of gastropod molluscs. They are soft-bodied and after they complete their larval stage, they shed off their shells. Nudis are tiny sea slugs that can be found in a variety of shapes and colours. There are over 3000 different types of nudibranch (that we know of). They are very distinctive to look at and also very interesting. Some nudibranchs are considered to be poisonous, which is why it is always best to take the PADI Fish Identification course before venturing into the deep blues. Along with that you can even take the PADI Underwater Naturalist course, to know more about marine structures and where you can find nudibranchs.
Nudibranchs are commonly referred to as nudis, which invites in for a whole lot of jokes and memes.
There are over 3000 different types of nudibranchs one can find in the oceans. And while there are numerous types you can find at Temple Reef, here are some of our colourful favourites!
Thecacera Pacifica
Commonly known as the Pikachu Nudibranch. Because it looks like Pikachu from Pokemon. These bright yellow coloured sea slugs are sure an eye-catcher here at Temple Reef.
Hypselodoris Tryoni
When we talking about nudibranch in India, then the Hypselodoris Tryoni is definitely one you can spot; especially in Pondicherry. These colourful guys have a cream coloured coat with black spots all over them. On the edge of their cream mantle is a thin electric bluish border. Which we think makes them look quite eccentric.
Hypseldoris Zebrina
Our striped beauty is called the Hypseldoris Zebrina. White mantel, pink stripes and yellow spots, this nudibranch has it all! We love this little guy because it definitely adds a pop of colour (or should we say colours!) to our endless blues.
Nembrotha Cristata
These green-spotted nudibranchs sure do make us envious of how stylish they look! When these nudis become adults, their size can range upto 50mm in length. We can often spot these molluscs on rocks and coral formations in the ocean.
Danny’s Eel Garden is one of our dive sites that has a formation of natural rocks. Therefore we feel the best place to spot these guys are at this dive site.
Euselenops Luniceps
This nudibranch has various common names. Such as Lunar Nudibranch, Moonface Nudibranch and many others related to the moon. And for obvious reason! Because this nudibranch, as you can see resembles the moon. A fun nudibranch in India to spot while scuba diving.
Phidiana Militaris
Imagine going on a dive and seeing a fiery looking creature chilling on the reef or on a rock…definitely a marvellous sight! These glorious looking nudibranchs might look dangerous but are actually harmless. That does not mean we touch them, but definitely means we can marvel their fierce elegance.
Janolus Savinkini
Commonly known as the purple tipped janolus, these are some extremely cute nudibranch to spot underwater or while tide-pooling. They are extremely hard to miss because of their colourful features. They basically look like a spiky ball underwater and we love that about them!
Doriprismatica Atromarginata
This 2.5 inches long white and black nudibranch is a delight to spot underwater! It’s simplistic colour features make them easy to find in the endless blues. They are usually white, beige and sometimes even have a creme tint. Whereas their ruffled mantle is bordered by a deep black colour.
If you take a good look at these nudibranch in India, you will notice that they can easily be referred to as the Pokemon of the sea. Because of their distinctive colours and features. And also because they are just so adorably cute!
Do you have any favourite nudibranchs that you absolutely love? Not yet? No worries! Because we can help you with that.
Begin your scuba diving adventures of exploration by signing up for the PADI Open Water course and get ready for a lifetime of finding out which your favourite nudibranchs are!
If you want to know more about how we conduct our PADI Open Water course, then check out our latest blog! In addition to what the course is all about, we have also described how we at Temple Adventures run it. Find our blog here