@mbari_news: MBARI researchers discovered a remarkable new nudibranch in the deep sea. Bathydevius caudactylus swims slowly through the midnight zone, an expansive environment of open water 1,000 to 4,000 meters (3,300 to 13,100 feet) below the surface. Most nudibranchs we know of live on the seafloor. They are common in coastal environments, including tide pools, kelp forests, and coral reefs. A small number of species are known to live on the abyssal seafloor. A few are pelagic and live in open waters near the surface. ⁠ ⁠ While most sea slugs use a raspy tongue to feed on prey attached to the seafloor, the mystery mollusc uses a cavernous hood to trap prey like a Venus fly trap plant. Crustaceans are on the menu for Bathydevius caudactylus, though we are still not quite sure how such a slow swimmer catches such speedy prey. #NewSpecies #MysteryMollosc #DeepSea #DeepOcean #MarineBiology