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Sea slugs mesmerize with their unparalleled beauty, boasting extravagant colours and unique body shapes. Their magnificence draws the attention of divers and underwater photographers from across the globe, who eagerly seek out and document these remarkable creatures.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, sea slugs exhibit remarkable biology and evolutionary processes, showcasing impressive regenerative abilities and producing unique chemical compounds for self-defence in the absence of protective shells. Some of these compounds have even demonstrated promising anti-cancer properties, positioning sea slugs as valuable subjects in biomedical research.
Situated midway between the American and European continents, the Azorean islands are a living laboratory where species from both sides of the Atlantic coincide, while at the same time, the geographical isolation of the islands has fostered unique biodiversity and the evolution of endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
In an era where climate change and invasive species pose significant threats to local faunas, a book like this not only serves as a tool to document the marine biodiversity of the Azores but also as a means to raise awareness among the public, nature enthusiasts, and policymakers. It encourages a deeper understanding and respect for our natural heritage, fostering a collective effort to conserve and protect it.
Foreword 6
An introduction to the guide 8
The Azores: geography, climate, and marine habitats 9
The biogeographic affinities 11
What are sea slugs? Taxonomy and biology 13
A concise history of the study of sea slugs (marine Heterobranchia) in the Azores 16
Glossary 18
Acknowledgements 23
Taxonomic list of species 24
Species identifications 28
Bibliographic sources 135
Manuel António E. Malaquias was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1971. His fascination with molluscs began in childhood as a passionate shell collector. At the age of 15, he became a member of the Portuguese Malacological Society, igniting a lifelong pursuit of understanding these creatures.
He earned his degree in marine biology from the University of the Algarve (Portugal) in 1996. His undergraduate thesis, focusing on the opisthobranch gastropods of the Archipelago of Madeira, reflects his early dedication to the field. This research led him to spend two years at the Natural History Museum of Funchal. In 2003, he obtained a master’s degree in Ecology from the University of Coimbra (Portugal). His thesis focused on the diversity, taxonomy, and ecology of the marine gastropod genus Haminoea in Portugal. In 2007, the author completed his PhD studies at the Natural History Museum of London, delving into the study of the genus Bulla, a worldwide group of molluscs. Following this, he embarked on a brief period as a postdoctoral researcher at the National Museum of Science and Natural History in Lisbon. In 2008, the author was appointed Associate Professor at the University Museum of Bergen (Natural History Collections), in Norway. He currently serves as a professor of invertebrate systematics and curator of Mollusca at the Department of Natural History of the University Museum (University of Bergen). Since 2022, he has also been a research collaborator at the Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOS, University of the Azores. Throughout his career, the author has conducted extensive sampling for sea slugs worldwide, leading to the discovery and description of numerous new species, genera, and families. His contributions to the field are reflected in his authorship of over 100 publications on molluscs.
