Description: A small sea slug, usually 5-8 mm in length. The body is translucent white in colour, and green digestive gland is visible through the body and particularly conspicuous in the cerata. The tips of the cerata and rhinophores are speckled with white pigment.

Habitat: Usually found on Codium fragile or Bryopsis plumosa on which it feeds.

Distribution: Scattered records from around Britain and Ireland, could be overlooked due to small size and camouflage. Seems to be mostly absent from east coast of Britain.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species. Sometimes sacoglossans (sap-sucking sea slugs) are confused with nudibranchs, but careful examination of this species reveals rhinophores which are enrolled, like a cylinder open down one side.

Key Identification Features:

• Small sea slug, up to 8 mm.
• Translucent white with green digestive gland visible.
• Cerata and rhinophore tips speckled with white.

Distribution Map from NBN: Placida dendritica at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Placida dendritica at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Placida dendritica

WoRMS: Placida dendritica at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Placida dendritica (Alder & Hancock, 1843). AphiaID: 141565.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Gastropoda; Heterobranchia; Euthyneura; Tectipleura; Sacoglossa; Plakobranchoidea; Limapontiidae; Placida