Doridoidea, commonly known as dorid nudibranchs, are a taxonomic superfamily of medium to large, shell-less sea slugs, marine gastropod mollusks in the clade Doridacea, included in the clade Nudibranchia.
Doridoidea
Peltodoris nobilis from Yaquina Bay
Actinocyclus verrucosus of Actinocyclidae
Cadlina luteomarginata of Cadlinidae
Nudibranchs belong to the order Nudibranchia, a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs that shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, such as "clown", "marigold", "splendid", "dancer", "dragon", and "sea rabbit". Currently, about 3,000 valid species of nudibranchs are known.
Image: Berghia coerulescens (Laurillard, 1830)
Image: Chromodoris lochi (AA3)
Glaucus atlanticus is an example of a nudibranch that has its cerata positioned like wings instead of on its back.
Nudibranchs (Nembrotha kubaryana) eating Clavelina tunicate colonies