Warty Sea Slug

This neat yellow animal is found all around the Wellington region.  In fact, its scientific name is Archidoris wellingtonensis!!
 It belongs to a group of molluscs called [qtip:nudibranchs| related to sea snails but doesn't have a shell].  The name nudibranch means "naked gills" and refers to their gills being outside any shell unlike other molluscs like mussels and snails.   You can sometimes find its [qtip:egg mass| contaning up to 50,000 eggs]  that looks like a beautiful yellow rose with "petals" like fine lace curtains that spiral out from the centre.