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snails and sea-slugs: molluscs


Dr Rudman Page  |  Molluscs Homepage


What are Sea-Slugs?

Research Scientist: Dr Bill Rudman

Despite their rather ugly name, sea-slugs include some of the most beautifully coloured and delicately shaped animals in the sea. They are related to marine snails, and during their evolution their shell has gradually become smaller and eventually lost. The 'slug-shape' has evolved many times amongst both land snails and marine snails.

Bill Rudman's research into the anatomy and biology of these animals is helping us to understand how these animals are related to one another, and why they have evolved such spectacular shapes and colours.

Select from the small pictures below to see a variety of of sea-slugs from fully shelled 'bubble shells' to beautiful shell-less nudibranchs.







Pupa
Hydatina
Sagaminopteron


Aplysia

Haminoea

Aeolidiella


Flabellina

Glaucilla

Hopkinsia


Miamira


Publications from the project

  1. Rudman, W.B. (1971d) On the opisthobranch genus Haminoea Turton & Kingston. Pacific Science 25(4): 545-59, 12 figs.
  2. Rudman, W.B. (1971e) Structure and functioning of the gut in the Bullomorpha (Opisthobranchia); Part 1. Herbivores. Journal of Natural History 5(6): 647-75, 18 figs.
  3. Rudman, W.B. (1972a) On Melanochlamys Cheeseman, 1881, a genus of the Aglajidae (Opisthobranchia: Gastropoda). Pacific Science 26(1): 50-62, 8 figs.
  4. Rudman, W.B. (1972b) Structure and functioning of the gut in the Bullomorpha (Opisthobranchia) Part 2. Acteonidae. Journal of Natural History 6(3): 311-24, 8 figs.
  5. Rudman, W.B. (1972c) Studies on the primitive opisthobranch genera Bullina Ferussac and Micromelo Pilsbry. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 51(2): 105-19, 8 figs.
  6. Rudman, W.B. (1972d) The anatomy of the opisthobranch genus Hydatina and the functioning of the mantle cavity and the alimentary canal. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 51(2): 121-39, 14 figs, 1 plate.
  7. Rudman, W.B. (1972e) Structure and functioning of the gut in the Bullomorpha. (Opisthobranchia) Part 3. Philinidae. Journal of Natural History 6(4): 459-74, 9 figs.
  8. Rudman, W.B. (1972f) The genus Philine (Opisthobranchia, Gastropoda). Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London 40(3): 171-87, 10 figs.
  9. Rudman, W.B. (1972g) The herbivorous opisthobranch genera Phanerophthalmus A. Adams and Smaragdinella A. Adams. Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London, 40(3): 189-210, 11 figs.
  10. Rudman, W.B. (1972h) A comparative study of the genus Philinopsis Pease, 1860. (Aglajidae, Opisthobranchia). Pacific Science 26(4): 381-99, 15 figs, 1 plate.
  11. Rudman, W.B. (1972i) Structure and functioning on the gut of the Bullomorpha (Opisthobranchia). Part 4. Aglajidae. Journal of Natural History 6(5): 547-560, 8 figs.
  12. Rudman, W.B. (1972j) A study of the functional anatomy of Pupa and Maxacteon (Acteonidae, Opisthobranchia) with an account of the breeding cycle of Pupa kirki. Journal of Natural History 6(6): 603-19, 10 figs.
  13. Rudman, W.B. (1984d) The Chromodorididae (Opisthobranchia: Mollusca) of the Indo-West Pacific: a review of the genera. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 81: 115-273.
  14. Rudman, W.B. (1986c) Nudibranchs: Nature's thieves. Australian Natural History 22(1): 2-6.
  15. Rudman, W.B. (1987b) The genus Trapania (Nudibranchia: Goniodorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Journal of Molluscan Studies 53(2): 189-211.
  16. Rudman, W.B. (1987c) Solar-powered Animals. Natural History 96(10): 50-53.
  17. Rudman, W.B., Avern, G. (1988a) Molluscan Dentistry - the tales that teeth tell. Australian Natural History, 22(9): 388-393.
  18. Rudman, W.B., Avern, G. (1989a) The genus Rostanga (Nudibranchia: Dorididae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 96(3): 281-338.
  19. Rudman, W.B. (1998). 6.Subclass Opisthobranchia. General Introduction: History of Discovery, Morphology & Physiology, Natural History. In: Fauna of Australia, 5. Mollusca, 28pp. ABRS: Canberra.
  20. Rudman, W.B. (1998). Suborders Doridina, Dendronotina, Aeolidina. In: Fauna of Australia, 5. Mollusca, 50pp. ABRS: Canberra.

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