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Sage Ono (USA) explores the abundant life around the giant kelp forests in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Nudibranchs are shell-less marine snails also known as sea slugs.

Most feed on animals like sponges and sea squirts that attach themselves to rocks and vegetation. These nudibranchs have a rough, tongue-like feeding structure called a radula. They use this to scrape their food from the surface it is sticking to.

However, the lion’s mane nudibranch does this differently.

To feed, it perches on a kelp frond and wafts its tentacle-fringed mouthparts. It then uses an expandable hood that encircles its mouth to capture free-swimming crustaceans and other invertebrates. On contact, the hood closes and the prey is swallowed whole.