Crested Nembrotha
Nembrotha Cristata
Deep burgundy covers the body of this striking nudibranch, scattered with irregular orange spots that glow against the dark surface. A cool blue-white edge traces the underside, while two tall black rhinophores rise from the front like little horns. Behind them, three feathery clusters flare upward in dark red and orange, giving the animal a wonderfully spiky silhouette. It looks less like a soft-bodied slug and more like something that has been built for making an entrance.
- Size: Up to around 50 mm
- Range: Indo-West Pacific; from the western Indian Ocean through Indonesia and the Philippines to northern Australia and the western Pacific
- Habitat / Depth: Coral reefs, rocky reefs and reef slopes, typically found from shallow water to around 30 m
- Diet: Feeds primarily on tunicates and sea squirts
