Melibe colemani

Coleman's melibe
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Nudibranchia
Suborder: Cladobranchia
Family: Tethydidae
Genus: Melibe
Species:
M. colemani
Binomial name
Melibe colemani
Gosliner & Pola, 2012[1]

Melibe colemani, also known as the Coleman's melibe, ghost nudi, or ghost melibe, is a species of nudibranch in the family Tethydidae. Discovered by Neville Coleman in 2008 off the coast of the island of Mabul in Malaysia, it was formally described by Marta Pola and Terrence Gosliner in 2012 and named in honour of its discoverer. It is found throughout the Coral Triangle region of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Due to its translucent body and network of brown tubules across its body, its appearance has been described as a "pile of strings" or a "string of snot in the water". This appearance is likely to serve as camouflage, resembling oceanic debris. Its strange appearance has led some to dub it "the holy grail of nudibranchs".

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference gospol was invoked but never defined (see the help page).