nudibranch

American  

[noo-duh-brangk, nyoo-] / ˈnu dəˌbræŋk, ˈnju- /

noun

1. a shell-less, marine snail of the suborder Nudibranchia, having external, often branched respiratory appendages on the back and sides.

---

nudibranch British  

/ ˈnjuːdɪˌbræŋk /

noun

1. Also called: sea slug.  any marine gastropod of the order Nudibranchia, characterized by a shell-less, often beautifully coloured, body bearing external gills and other appendages

---

nudibranch Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′də-brăngk′ /

1. See sea slug

---

Etymology

Origin of nudibranch

1835–45; < French nudibranche, equivalent to nudi- nudi- + branche gill (< Latin branchia branchia )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nudibranch

Because of this, researchers are only able to conduct nudibranch studies for roughly four months annually.

From Science Daily ● May 27, 2026

The mystery mollusk is the first known nudibranch to live in a deep-water column, specifically in the ocean’s midnight zone — open water about 1,000 to 4,000 meters below the surface.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2024

Enrico Somogyi won Compact, with a photo of a nudibranch sea slug with a emperor shrimp on its head, in Tulamben, on the north-east coast of Bali, Indonesia.

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2024

If threatened by a predator, the nudibranch will discharge the stinging cells, says Valdés.

From National Geographic ● Feb. 7, 2024

This beautiful nudibranch was first found near Laguna by Miss M. Cate, not far from Dana's point in 1916.

From Journal of Entomology and Zoology Volume Eleven, Number Two, June 1919 by Various