Monterey Dorid
ExploreInvertebrate
Monterey Dorid
doris montereyensis
The Monterey Dorid is a colorful sea slug that glides gracefully over the ocean floor. It has a soft body covered in vibrant patterns, making it a beautiful sight in the water!
Habitat: Kelp forests and rocky substrates in shallow marine environments
Appearance
The Monterey Dorid is a sea slug with a lumpy, white to yellowish body, covered in many small, wart-like bumps. It has two horn-like sensory organs called rhinophores and a feathery gill plume on its back, giving it a distinctive textured look.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumMolluscaClassGastropodaOrderNudibranchiaFamilyDorididaeGenusDoris
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Despite being slow, they crawl on a muscular 'foot' along the ocean floor.
Monterey Dorids lay their eggs in beautiful, spiraling ribbons on rocks or kelp.
The feathery plume on its back is actually how this sea slug breathes underwater.
They belong to a group called nudibranchs, which means "naked gills"!
Special abilities
Ability
Bumpy Camouflage
Monterey Dorid has a lumpy, textured body that helps them blend perfectly with sponges and rocks.
Ability
Toxic Shield
Monterey Dorid can absorb defensive chemicals from its sponge diet, making it taste terrible to predators.
Ability
Underwater Sniffer
Monterey Dorid uses its horn-like rhinophores to detect chemical trails of food and other dorids.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 7 cm
- Lifespan
- 1.5 years
Diet & Feeding
This sea slug is a carnivore that dines exclusively on sponges, scraping them off surfaces.
Primary Foods
- Haliclona californiana
- Leucandra spp.
- Hymenamphiastra euphylleoides
Foraging Method
- Grazing
Ecological connections
eats
California Haliclona
Haliclona californiana
Feeds on this common encrusting sponge.
eaten by
Cabezon
Scorpaenichthys marmoratus
Larger fish may occasionally prey on them.
eaten by
Ochre Sea Star
Pisaster ochraceus
Sea stars sometimes consume slow-moving invertebrates.
Traits
Spotted
Marked with spots or patches of a different color.
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
California Sea SlugDoris SlugKelp Slug
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Monterey Dorid?
7 cm
How long does Monterey Dorid live?
1.5 years
What does Monterey Dorid eat?
This sea slug is a carnivore that dines exclusively on sponges, scraping them off surfaces.
Where is Monterey Dorid usually found?
Kelp forests and rocky substrates in shallow marine environments
How does Monterey Dorid hunt?
Grazing
Snap Map
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