Nudibranchs in Love

Mother Ocean must be singing songs of sweet, sweet love, because I keep finding nudibranchs in pairs.  Nudibranchs are found all over the reef, and most of them are small and lovely.  (The shorter nudis in these photos are only a couple centimeters long.)

Nudibranchs are basically sea snails that have lost, or rather drastically shrunk, their shells.  Instead of defending themselves with armor, they defend themselves by tasting really, really foul, such that no predator wants to eat them.  And they tend to be brightly colored, because that way predators know not to approach.  (I know that the two button-shaped nudis look like they’re made of plastic.  They’re not, and they actually are that color.)

Nudis have two hornlike protrusions and feathery external gills.  The ones here tend to be small, but elsewhere I’ve seen some larger nudis waving in the current like bright towels.

A gift from the God of Small Things.