Description: This nudibranch feeds on a species of hydroid (Eudendrium ramosum), which possesses a pigment called astaxanthin. This pigment gives the Spanish shawl nudibranch its brilliant color. In the Spanish shawl nudibranch, the astaxanthin shows up in 3 different states, creating the purple, orange and red colors found on this species. Astaxanthin is also found in other marine creatures, including lobsters (which contributes to the lobster's red appearance when cooked), krill, and salmon.
marinelife.about.com/od/invertebrates/p/Spanish-Shawl-Nud... Date: 19 October 2012, 12:40. Source:
2012-10-19 Cabrillo Acquarium 085. Author:
Tracie from Orange County, us.
