Nudibranch

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nudibranch

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Order Nudibranchia
2. What is a nudibranch and why are they called "naked gills"?A nudibranch is a shell‑less sea slug that lives in the ocean. The name comes from Latin nudus meaning "naked" and Greek brankhia meaning "gills," because they have exposed gills after losing their shell.
3. Why are nudibranchs so colorful?Their bright colors warn predators that they carry chemical defenses. The colors act as a visual warning that the nudibranch may be toxic or unpalatable.

Gastropod: A class of mollusks characterized by a single, usually coiled shell and a broad, flat foot for locomotion.
Aposematism: The use of conspicuous coloration or patterns to warn predators of an animal's toxicity or unpalatability.
Kleptocelenteration: The process by which certain animals, like nudibranchs, steal and utilize stinging cells (nematocysts) from their prey for defense.
Hermaphroditic: Possessing both male and female reproductive organs; capable of producing both sperm and eggs.