Hexabranchus
Hexabranchidae is a family of colourful nudibranchs (often called "sea slugs") which contains only a single genus, Hexabranchus, with six species.
| Hexabranchidae | |
|---|---|
| Hexabranchus lacer, 90 mm in length, photographed at night in Bali | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Gastropoda |
| Subclass: | Heterobranchia |
| Order: | Nudibranchia |
| Suborder: | Doridina |
| Family: | Hexabranchidae Bergh, 1891 |
| Genus: | Hexabranchus Ehrenberg, 1831 |
| Diversity | |
| 6 species | |
This family is one of the many families of dorid nudibranchs in the suborder Doridina, named after Doris, who was a sea nymph in ancient Greek mythology.
The genus contains one of the largest known species of nudibranch in the world, H. giganteus, which grows up to or exceeding 50 cm in length. Hexabranchus sanguineus is known to use chemical defenses derived from the sponge it eats and use the chemical compounds to defend itself from potential fish predators.
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