Sea slugs are among the most fascinating creatures in the ocean. With their diverse array of colours, shapes, and sizes, they have captured the imagination of divers and marine enthusiasts across the globe.
While they may seem just beautiful, their accurate identification also contributes to our understanding of marine biodiversity and ecosystem health. By documenting the different species of sea slugs, we can gain valuable insights into their distribution, ecological roles, and potential responses to environmental changes.
Through this online database, we encourage you to share your photos to help us learn more about these important marine animals.
Importance for Science
Accurate identification of gastropods (sea slugs) is critical for several reasons. It allows us to track and understand changes in species distribution and abundance, it helps us map biodiversity and to identify new species. This information will then help inform conservation efforts and strategies to protect vulnerable habitats and species. Furthermore, the study of gastropods can also contribute to advances in pharmacology and medicine. Many gastropods have unique biological properties that are of great interest to the scientific community.
Contribute
To contribute to our Sea Slugs of Mauritius Database, please refer to the guidelines here.
Sea Slugs of Mauritius Database
| Image | Common name | Species | Genus | Family | Location | Depth (meters) | Contributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samla bicolor | Samla bicolor | Samla | Samlidae | Grand Bay | 12 | Krsna Bacha |
| Phyllodesmium macphersonae | Phyllodesmium macphersonae | Phyllodesmium | Myrrhinidae | Grand Bay | 12 | Krsna Bacha |
| Tubulophilinopsis reticulata | Tubulophilinopsis reticulata | Tubulophilinopsis | Aglajidae | Pereybere | 18 | Krsna Bacha |
| Goniobranchus conchyliatus | Goniobranchus conchyliatus | Goniobranchus | Chromodorididae | Pereybere | 18 | Krsna Bacha |
| Forskal's side-gilled slug | Pleurobranchus forskalii | Pleurobranchus | Pleurobranchidae | Pereybere | 16 | Krsna Bacha |
| Sky Blue Phyllidia sea slug | Phyllidia coelestis | Phyllidia | Phyllidiidae | Pereybere | 10 | Krsna Bacha |
| Spotted hypselodoris | Hypselodoris maculosa | Hypselodoris | Chromodorididae | Pereybere | 22 | Krsna Bacha |
| Yellow margin nudibranch | Ardeadoris angustolutea | Ardeadoris | Chromodorididae | Pereybere | 14 | Krsna Bacha |
| Gem nudibranch | Goniobranchus geminus | Goniobranchus | Chromodorididae | Pereybere | 14 | Krsna Bacha |
| Girdled Glossodoris nudibranch | Glossodoris cincta | Glossodoris | Chromodorididae | Pereybere | 6 | Krsna Bacha |