Tenggol is one of the very few islands in Malaysia with healthy soft corals and abundance of nudibranchs. Nudibranchs are noted for their often extraordinary colors and striking forms. It’s the most popular picture hunt for avid underwater photographers. In the course of evolution, these sea slugs have lost their shell because they have developed other defence mechanisms. Their anatomy may resemble the texture and colour of the surrounding plants, allowing them to camouflage. Some species with especially bright colouring which warns that they are distasteful or poisonous.
The word "nudibranch" comes from the Latin '
nudus', naked, and the Greek '
brankhia', gills.
Nudibranchs have a set of reproductive organs for both sexes but they can rarely fertilize themselves. It’s quite common to see a pair of nudibranchs working together for the ‘next generation’.
